aesthetic: stained cheeks and lips

Of late, I've been into the fairytale appeal of a good lip/cheek stain. On my pale skin, depending on the styling, it can give the appearance of a fresh-faced schoolgirl, an elfin queen, or the English rose trappings of Kate Winslet in Sense & Sensibility.

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I've had a small army of cheek stains for the past decade. (Some are nearly that old.) I think inexpensive liquid and gel cheek tints were more popular back then, at least in the States. I used to have liquid blushes from Sonia Kashuk (which died a disgraceful death, by the way--leaky rollerball) and Maybelline and gels from Bonne Bell and NYC. I think they're poised for a resurgence (one or two will always emerge as the weather heats up!) Femme Couture at Sally's has gel blushes now, I think. There are tons offered by the low-end Asian brands I'm familiar with as well. 

Here is my current collection:

And swatched:

Half-hearted attempt to arrange roughly by color, with the wider Ulta swatches on the end

Brief texture observations:

Pixi Water Blush

A liquid, much like Benetint. I appreciate the vibrancy but don't reach for it often. Thin liquids like this one are hard to blend, particularly with the ill-thought-out nail polish brush as an applicator.

TheBalm Stainiacs

A bit of a gel-liquid hybrid in a portable, sturdy tube with a doe-foot applicator. Prom Queen and Homecoming Queen look alarmingly orange and yellow, respectively, as liquids, but their drydown is much prettier. 

L'Oreal Translucide Sheer Blush in Blushing Glow

This gel blush in a tiny tube has been discontinued for years and years, but I stocked up. I've probably got five or so. Because it's lovely.

Boots 17 Lip/Cheek Tint in Blossom

It's a liquid, but has a bit more slip than Pixi Water Blush. I love how hot pink it is.

Watsons Lip/Cheek Tint

Meh. So sheer. Probably on its way out. But hey, it's foolproof. It does have a lot of slip, which is nice.

Ulta Extreme Wear Cheek Stain

A nice, cooling water-based gel stick. Not too sticky or even substantial feeling. This is a newer purchase and I'm surprised at  how  much I like them.

On my dry skin, applying all of these over fresh moisturizer and primer is an absolute must, but I think the effect is worth it, like a pink panel in a stained glass window. If I'm wearing stained lips, I often reinforce the effect with a tinted balm such as the red ones from Nivea.