A very famous cult classic leaves me looking as though I've been walloped around the face - no matter how lightly I dip my blusher brush into the compact - and using a matte bronzer to add a flush of colour to cheekbones is probably best left to the likes of Kylie Jenner.
Hello Mars Bar effect.
But in my quest for the perfectly pinched look I came across Clinique's Cheek Pops. Set in clear round compacts and embossed with a daisy, each eye-catching shade smooths on like a cream blush but has the staying power of a powder.
From a rather generous eight 'Pop' shades, I gave Melon Pop, Rosy Pop and Berry Pop a whirl.
If the ethereal, outdoorsy look is what you covet, look no further than Rosy Pop, a pretty pink shade that is in the running to replace NARS' Orgasm Blush as the make-up artist's go-to hue. Sophisticated and just a little flirty, the powder doesn't sit awkwardly on top of foundation like other's I've tried.
Rosy Pop merges with your base for a feminine, flushed look. Just be sure to give your trusty blusher brush a gentle tap to avoid overkill as the pigment is pretty heavyweight.
Early 90s Kate Moss would have most certainly reached for Melon Pop and her fresh faced look is blowing every other beauty trend out of the water this summer. Once on, this peachy hue lifted my cheeks and melted into my newly sun-kissed complexion (thank you, Mykonos) without looking heavy or mismatched - a holiday must-have.
To pep up colour sapped skin, Berry Pop is the hero. Just a single dusting of this deep fuchsia shade can banish any dullness, without looking too try-hard. It'll be forever tucked away inside my beauty arsenal for when my skin is looking a little lacklustre.
At £17 each, they won't stretch your beauty budget. Grab yours from www.clinique.co.uk before I stockpile the lot.
