Similar Concept? Sephora Microsmooth Baked Blush Duos vs. Nars Dual Intensity Blushes + Uses for the Sephora Blush

Sooo... I'm not sure this will be a very good comparison cause I do not own any of the Nars Dual Intensity blushes... and frankly I have no interest in them. Lol. They're like $45 and I'm like... no thanks. I'm good. But I've seen reviews and they seem like a similar concept to one of my favorite blushes, the Sephora Microsmooth Baked Blush Duos.

Now the Nars blushes are super shimmery and shiny like the eyeshadows. They're beautiful, you can use them as blush, you can use them as eyeshadows... you can do a lot of things with them. The thing I find kind of interesting about them is that its sort of like owning a bunch of different blushes in one. There are 2 shades in the package and you can either use them on their own or swirl them together... so that gives 3 different shades. Plus you can use them wet or dry... so that is 6 shades total in this $45 blush compact thing. Plus its nice luxe packaging and I think you get a mirror... so thats not terrible I guess. You're paying $7.50 per blush look if you think about it like that... thats about drugstore prices. Still not going to buy it and have no interest in buying it, but there's a little math for you if you were looking for it... 

But... The Sephora in Store brand baked blush duos are kind of similar. They aren't flat out shimmery, but they do give a nice glow that is kind of unexpected for these baked blushes. I'm always surprised how glowy it looks on my skin. They are also baked, so you can use them wet or dry... I've never used them actually "wet" because they are super pigmented dry. These you can also swirl together or use each color individually, so it also could create 6 possible looks.This is only $17 though, so its like $3 per look. These don't have a very nice packaging. Mine doesn't close right anymore because the closure thing broke off... I put a rubber band on it to keep it shut and that works, but it isn't super cute or anything. Which is kind of something to think about. 

I have the shade Guava Glow, which is a pretty coral shade that is great for spring and summer, and I just broke it out recently and I've been using it quite a lot. It was completely domed before and now its going down quite a lot. Its well loved. 

There is one side thats kind of more matte and lighter and one side that is shimmery and is good to kind of use as a blush topper highlight type of thing. It looks like I use the lighter shade a little more in mine... lol. 

I use these either swirled around, or I swirl it but try to concentrate the more matte side on the areas where my pores are a little more visible because matte blushes are usually good for blurring pores out a little bit, and then I'll use the shimmery part of the swirl more as a highlight. Idk if that makes much sense, I probably explained that badly... but if that helps at all I hope it did? Lol. Its a bit of an odd thing, but for me these are good for that. And really these are at least 3 distinct shades depending on if I just use them separately or if I swirl them together... and I'm sure they are a little more intense if they are wet. Sometimes I put them on after I just used a setting spray, so I use them when my face is slightly wet and that does give an intensity to them. 

So I'm not a huge expert on this really, but if you want the Nars Dual Intensity blushes, but don't want to pay $40+ for a blush... maybe try the Sephora brand ones instead. I like them quite a bit and for all the looks I get from them $17 isn't too bad. 

Hope this was helpful to someone!

Byeee! 

-Shannon