Lorac Color Source Buildable Blush Review & Swatches

On a recent trip to Kohls, I picked up a few of the new Lorac Color Source Buildable Blushes ($22). You guys probably know from reading my blog that Lorac's Pro eyeshadows are one of my absolute favorite formulas, but I've never tried Lorac blushes before so I figured it was about time! Let's take a closer look...

Description: LORAC brings you cheek color that will stay with a silky-smooth matte finish and it's called Color Source Buildable Blush.

PRODUCT FEATURES

• Silky-smooth matte and satin blush
• Infused with anti-aging antioxidants such as pomegranate, acai and vitamins A, C & E.
• Long-wearing
• Paraben-free

Price/Where to Buy: $22 at Kohls, and Ulta. 

Quick Verdict: An amazing blush and a must-buy...but there is a pretty close dupe. More on that below.

Color Source Buildable Blush comes packaged in a cute little box with a circular cutout so you can see the shade inside. They contain antioxidants such as Pomegranate, Acai, and Vitamins A, C, & E and are paraben-free. Also, it's worth noting that the box itself is actually safety sealed which is a really nice touch for those of us who want to make sure the products we're buying are tamper-free.

The compacts they come in are beautiful...they're mirrored gunmetal with a sleek magnetic closure. Maybe I'm a weirdo but I love how they click shut...it's so satisfying! The magnet that holds the compacts together is so strong that it feels just as secure as a compact that clicks shut with a latch closure. On the back of each compact there's a label that's the same color as the blush itself with the name of the shade in large bold letters. I really like how they designed it because it makes it really easy to know which one you're grabbing out of a drawer if they're flipped upside down.

Chroma is described as a "satin berry" shade, and it looks a lot lighter in person than it does on the Ulta and Kohls websites. That being said it is a beautiful pink-berry shade that gives my cheeks a warm rosy flush.

Technicolor is described as a matte coral shade and is probably my favorite, especially going into Spring and Summer. It gives such a beautiful peachy glow to my cheeks that's warmed up with just a hint of pink.

I fell in love with these blushes at first swatch. It's like Lorac took their Pro eyeshadow formula and made blushes with it! It's soft, creamy and highly pigmented. In fact, I'm surprised that they call these "buildable" blushes because to me, that would indicate that they go on sheer and can be built up. However, just the tiniest dip into the pan coats your brush with quite a bit of product and you actually have to be careful not to overdo it.
I just love how the silky smooth formula blends seamlessly into my skin, and the color you see in the pan is what you get. The one downside (other than the price) is that they do kick up quite a bit of powder when you swirl your brush into them.

As I was playing with these, I realized that they reminded me of another blush formula I know and love...and it costs less than 1/4 of the price...the City Color Be Matte Blushes. They're $4.99 and have been my holy grail drugstore blush for quite a while now. They have a very similar look and feel (minus the beautiful gunmetal packaging) and you actually get more product...they're .314 oz. compared to .14 oz. you're getting with the Lorac Color Source. 

They have a similar silky smooth texture and even kick up a similar amount of powder. They're also pretty much on par as far as pigmentation goes. In fact, the only thing the Lorac ones have over the City Color Be Mattes is that they're a bit creamier feeling and pick up just a little easier. But it's such a slight difference it's hard to tell.

You can see by the swatches that the City Color blushes are just as pigmented. Blackberry looks lighter because the shade itself is actually a little lighter but it was the closest one I had to Chroma. City Color's Guava is very close to Technicolor, leaning only a little more pink. Both formulas last a good 6-7 hours on me before fading, likely because they're so pigmented they actually stain your cheeks a little bit.

Overall, I'm completely in love with the new Lorac Color Source Buildable Blushes...everything about them is on point from the packaging to the shades to the amazing formula. But I have to wonder if they're worth the hefty $22 price tag when there's a really close dupe in the City Color Be Matte Blushes. I'll leave it to you to decide whether the beautiful packaging, slightly creamier formula and different shade range is enough to make splurging on these worthwhile! 

You can find the Lorac Color Source Buildable Blushes at Kohls and Ulta. 

City Color Be Matte Blushes are available at CityColorCosmetics.com or at your local Five Below store.