Cantaloup Artistique Blush by Troy Surratt

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I'm not sure when orange became one of those colors that I naturally gravitate towards, but I know it has to have been after high school.  Back then, I thought orange was one of the ugliest colors, ever.  Funny how tastes change.

Enter Cantaloup Artistique Blush by Troy Surratt, a new cosmetic brand exclusive to Barney's.  Described as a "golden melon", this is a color I'm simultaneously drawn to and that pushes my blush color boundaries.

The packaging is both sleek and minimalistic, as

founder Troy Surratt believes that “All good design eliminates excess waste and is responsible.” With minimal and recyclable materials, his Artistique Blushes reflect that philosophy.

Housed in a custom-tooled case, with no aluminum separating the makeup from its holder, the plastic container can be recycled once the blush is finished.  It will also fit into build your own palettes that are sold separately, using an adhesive backing.  Not sure how I feel about that, although I get that using a magnet would have defeated the whole easy to recycle aspect.

The color is actually quite soft, although it does have a decidedly yellow undertone.  I've worn it on it's own and wasn't quite sure if it took me into sallow territory without providing much color.

Cantaloup alone

I love the formula, however, which is finely milled and one of those that melds nicely into the skin with a natural looking finish.  So, I decided mixing it over a cream blush was the way to go, as it warms up the underlying color but the color mixing keeps it from leaving me jaundiced looking.  Below I'm wearing it over Elizabeth Arden's Ceramide cream blush in Nectar (review here).  Win/win, I think!

Cantaloup over Nectar

The Artistique blushes come in ten different shades, retail for $32, and are exclusive to Barney's New York.  Really nice formula - I like!