Beauty Stat Review: Merle Norman Blush & Lip Products!

Summer is the season for a new look, new makeup products, and fun colors. Today, I have two new products from Merle Norman to share with you that will warm up any look you may have for summer, and add a pop of color to your lips! Stay tuned for swatches….

The first item I have from Merle Norman is the “Long Lasting Cheek Color” in the shade “Peach to the Choir.” I love this! It’s such a great peach/coral color, perfect for summer. There are small flecks of gold shimmer in the product, but I don’t find that they transfer very well to the skin, either when swatching or when used with a blush brush. The application is actually quite nice and leaves a nice sheen to the skin without being too shimmery or glittery. 

The product is a little powdery, and if you take a peek at the swatch you will see that the powder kind of transfers all over the packaging (near where the small brush that is included is held). I did not find this to be bothersome or anything but it is something to note about the product. 

The product lasted the entire day on my cheeks without having to reapply. (For your information, I do have oily/combination skin so this is very impressive) I have been using this blush for quite some time since I received it and I thoroughly enjoy it. It is a great summer shade. The product has little to no scent. It is quite pigmented but not overly pigmented to where you are only dipping the tip of your brush into the product. I like this a lot actually because I’m not afraid to over apply. 

The packaging is very sturdy and classy. It has a somewhat shiny black packaging, with the words “Merle Norman” on the front in silver font. It has a fairly large and very nice mirror on the inside of the package. To the left, you will see the square of blush and to the right, a small and thin brush that is included. I do not particularly like the brush that comes with this much, I find that it does not apply or blend the blush out to my liking but I often just use my own separate brush for applying blush. The bristles are not as soft as I would like and I do believe they are synthetic. The back of the packaging clearly has the color and other product information in a medium sized font which is very easy to read. 

This is a limited edition color so you will have to act fast if you want to purchase. It is part of the summer 2012 color collection.  You will receive 5 grams of product. ***The color is photographing slightly more pink than it actually is. It is a true peachy shade. 

The next product that I have to share is the “Lip Pencil Plus” in the shade “A Flare to Remember” which is a dual-ended product. The lip liner is on one end and the lip color pencil is on the other end. I know what you’re thinking, you’ve seen products like this before and they never stand up to the challenge… but I am telling you – this product is great!

The liner is 1/3 of the pencil and the lip color is 2/3, so you should be able to use them for the same amount of time if used together! The lip color gives a semi-matte finish according to the packaging and I find that to be true. It has just enough shine to look nice on the lips but it is not glossy or shimmery in any way. This is great because if you want matte color, you can have it, but if you choose to go shimmery, all you have to do is add a gloss and you’re good to go!

The liner is a great shade, it has undertones of the coral/tangerine color but it is not overpowering for a liner. It stays put and helps discourage feathering from the lip product itself. The lip color is an awesome pop of color to bring life to any look!

Both the liner and the lip color are very smooth and creamy. I experienced no tugging or pulling when lining the lips or applying the color to the lips. They glide on effortlessly. I enjoyed this product and would love a product like this in a nude shade for everyday use! This was a fun color to wear on the weekend and would be great to wear out for a girl’s night out with your friends!

As for wear time, I was very impressed. This is not a stain or like a stain in any way. It will wear off when you smoke/drink/eat/talk, but the time that it stays on your lips is actually very amazing. I had no issues with feathering while eating either. I found that the product stayed put until I wiped my mouth with a napkin. However, it was not a hassle to reapply. Also, it is not drying in the least. It’s actually quite moisturizing I find.  I really enjoy this product and I believe it will be a great product to have in your summer arsenal for your makeup collection. 

The packaging is very sturdy. I don’t feel like the thick pencil will break with use or anything like that. The caps are also very sturdy and add a little shine to the product. It clearly states the color on the product and also which end is the liner/color for you.  ***This color is photographing slightly pink, but is a very vibrant tangerine shade. 

Also, Merle Norman has introduced several other items with the summer 2012 collection that I have no tested. These include eye color quads, lip polishes and lip glazes, along with a bronzing powder and an expert touch finishing spray. 

If you are interested in purchasing any of these products, please visit http://merlenorman.com. Through the web-site you can locate a Merle Norman store near you. These products are unavailable to purchase online, you must visit a store. I have done a little bit of research on the internet and it seems to be that the stores are franchised. Due to this fact, prices may vary from store to store. Prices are also not listed on the web-site for any of the products listed. This is a slightly higher-end brand, so I would expect a slightly higher price. 

*** I received this products for free for the purpose of reviewing them. I am not endorsing Merle Norman nor is this a paid sponsorship. I am in no way affiliated with this company. I am not promoting Merle Norman.