Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starblush: Mmm… Doesn’t a Baked Starblush Sound Delicious Right Now?

“Uh, yes, I’ll take a Baked Starblush and a tall Caramel Macchiato, please…”

I really like this product’s name: Baked Starblush. It sounds both astronomical and tasty. 🙂 This here is the Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights in Baked Starblush, one of two new $32 shimmery baked highlighters (the other one is called Starburst) containing five individual shades (there are two of each color) — in this one’s case a soft white, a soft pink, a rosy pink, a dusty rose and a bright rose. Both are available now online and at Smashbox counters, Nordstrom, Ulta and Sephora.

Starblush, which you can wear on your cheeks, eyes, face and body, creates a subtle veil of light pink shimmer, and it’s one of those considerate subtle veils that doesn’t emphasize pores. With a finish about halfway between a super shiny BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector and a less intense Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder, it’s probably better for lasses with light and medium skin tones, because it might look ashy on deeper damsels.

As for wear time, on my combination oily/dry skin, it lasts between six and seven hours.

I guess you could try to reach in there and access the shades individually, but you’d need an awfully small brush for that…so I just mix all of the shades together and apply the combined pink color wherever I want some luminosity. It does build up in layers, so you can add more if you want to see more of the color.

I like wearing Baked Starblush as a highlighter. I’ll apply it with a tapered eye brush (because they’re easy to control), and use between two and three layers. I think it’s a great option for anyone, but especially for (lords and) ladies looking for a diffused highlight/soft focus effect that leans more toward luminous and dewy than metallic. It’s kind to mature skin, too, because it doesn’t draw attention to pores and fine lines (YAY!). And because the shimmer doesn’t go over the top, newcomers to the wild world of highlighting may also want to give it a try.

Oh! — and pictures. I think it looks lovely in photographs, be they taken with a flash, natural light, mixed light — you name it. If you have a big event to go to like a wedding or prom, Starblush would be very handy.

If you want an alternative to the $45 Hourglass Ambient Powders, this could save you a few bucks. They have a similar finish (another good alternative is the Sephora Collection MicroSmooth Baked Sculpting Trio in Sublime).

PRICE: $32, one of two Baked Fusion Soft Lights
AVAILABILITY: Available now at Smashbox counters, Ulta, Sephora and online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Additional makeup worn in this look

Lips — MAC Matte Lipstick in Runway Hit
Lashes — NARS Numero 2
Eyes — L’Oreal La Palette Nude 1, MAC Costa Riche Eye Kohl, MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre, Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper
Cheeks — BECCA Damselfly Blush, Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons in 03 Naturel Brunettes
Face — Dior Diorskin Nude Air Serum in 040, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Biscuit

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen