Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush In Rapture

It started when my friend Josie and I plowed through my local Ulta swatching e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. The new Urban Decay Afterglow blushes caught our eye, because blush. But I was only semi-interested in this one, Rapture, because it reminded me of a perennial favorite, Aplum by Lancome, a blush I've had in my arsenal for the last fifteen years or so (and yes, I actually have a backup). This sort of brownish plum color is admittedly not the most sought-after these days, but it's a good look for me, hence a staple. My Ulta has a full Lancome counter, so I could easily compare Urban Decay Rupture to Aplum and realize that they're different enough, both in color (Rupture is more mauve) and in finish (it has the promised Urban Decay glow). I didn't get it at the time, but kept thinking about this pretty blush, and when a couple of weeks later I've found myself again at Ulta as one is wont to do, the little box came home with me.

Now, let's talk about this 8-hour business. As far as I'm concerned, if a blush doesn't hold a full day wear, it has no right to take up space in my blush drawer. Granted, I prime, prep, and create a good base for my makeup, and seal the deal with a light dusting of a fine finishing powder, so that helps. But an eight hour work day is an absolute minimum as far as I'm concerned, which makes the name and the claim gimmicky and annoying.

However, this Urban Decay blush has other things going for it. The sturdy and intricate packaging that features a gunmetal cutout lattice work that looks luxurious and much more expensive than what it is. Then there's the texture itself, which is the best I've seen from Urban Decay in a very very long time. The powder is finely-milled and buttery, the pigment buildable to the desired level, and despite the glowing effect, there are absolutely no shiny particles that would have reduced the blush into a more juvenile product. It really is a gorgeous product.

Bottom Line: excellent.

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush In Rapture ($26) is available from Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, and urbandecay.com.