I didn’t mean to buy any blush. I was just innocently looking for a lip pencil, when this little baby caught my eye. “Is it matte?” I asked. “We don’t have any mattes, but this has no shimmer,” the super nice SA said. Good enough for me.

I’d been looking for a rosy blush that’s darker and less shimmery than NARS’ Orgasm, because let’s face it, you transform into a Cullen glitter bomb under yellow light. Although I was highly impressed by NARS’ Sin, I “needed” something warmer and more matte for some non-Sin days.

Enter Shiseido’s Luminizing Satin Face Color in RS 302 (Tea Rose)! It’s a dusty rose that looks a bit reddish in certain light. As the name suggests, the this blush has a satin finish so there’s a subtle glow instead of an overpowering shimmer. Tea Rose is the darkest shade of blush that Shiseido offers.

The powder itself is finely-milled and applies smoothly. It has really, really subtle shimmer and looks almost matte in the pan. It’s true to color, when applied on the cheeks, and is a shade that would look like a natural pinky rose flush on medium to dark complexions, as it’s a fairly saturated and pigmented shade. It might be overpowering on lighter shades, though I don’t think it’s anything that enough blending can’t fix.

Other than all of these already winning qualities, the Shiseido blush compact is also pretty sleek. It’s small, thin and gorgeous, with the Shiseido camellia logo stamped on the lower right side.

It comes with a super-soft brush that picks up color quite nicely. It’s one of the few brushes that come with compacts that I enjoy using. Mostly, they are not that nice in terms of application and can also be a bit scratchy. That’s not at all the case here!

Applied on apples, in direct light. See? Natural flush!

Applied on apples, continued until hairline, under a fluorescent lamp.

VERDICT: Pretty warm blush with satin finish; ideal for medium to dark complexions.
Will I repurchase? Yes!
How much? $30 or Php 1,800 for 6.5g or 0.22oz. Bought at Php 1,260 on sale.
Where to buy in Manila? Shiseido stores and counters. I bought mine at SM Megamall’s Health & Beauty section in the department store.