I, like many other girls, have a problem. I admit to it the same way I’ll admit to liking not cleaning my room and drinking coffee.

I like makeup. I enjoy makeup. I currently am wearing makeup.

A lot of my money is invested in this hobby.

Recently, I found myself in the makeup isle at Target. Total coincidence. Very, clip-clop-clip-clop GASP! ‘Oh golly, however did I end up here?’

Then I wander the isles with my broke self, poking at the devil’s tummy to tempt me with something good.

NYX tried to allure me into a $7 eyeliner. And then my eyes fell on the Maybelline display. In all it’s pink chrome glory.

The Blushed Nudes pallet had to be mine. It had chosen me like a mystical dragon chooses its trainer.

I tried to explain this to Target security, yet they still forced me to purchase it.

An insult to dragon trainers everywhere.

There are twelve shades all-together. Only one matte shade, but it’s an awesome matte shade so all is forgiven, Maybelline.

However, I’ll address the elephant in the room. This palette is not blushed enough to be deemed as The Blushed.

The top row is a decent attempt at blushed. Let’s be honest, 37% of us only bought this $10 pallet for the gem in the top right-hand corner. It’s a dark raspberry shade, shimmery, with underlying brown tones that picked up on camera more than the raspberry hue it gives off in person.

The orange-gold color to the left of it is also very nice.

My obsession with fall colors continue.

However, the bottom row of this pallet doesn’t represent blushed at all. They’re pretty, and colors I don’t already own, but the only pink I found is in the weird purple flecks of the darkest shade.

All that to say, do not be fooled by the pretty advertisements. Appreciate their pink-purple beauty, but don’t believe them.

Every one of the shades has a natural appearance on the lids, making this pallet perfect for a beginner who doesn’t want to freak themselves out.

However, the pigmentation and wear-time isn’t great. I apply these with my fingers to achieve the most color. (I just realized I’ve never tried to apply them with a wet brush. Maybe that’s the key.)

By the end of the day, no matter how pronounced and separated every color is on your eyelid, they will be meshed together into a sort of fade of dark-brown-to-raspberry-to-gold. It doesn’t look ugly, but it isn’t what you started with.

Maybelline The Blushed Nudes is a poor man’s Naked 3 pallet. We all know this. Does it compare? The colors tried, but it really doesn’t, especially considering formula.

Though, you won’t see me shelling out $54 at Ulta, so I am MORE than happy with my little pallet, and that’s the truth.

I own the Lorac Pro 1 pallet, and I’ve neglected it every day since buying The Blushed.

I’m basically enamored. It’s just pretty to look at.

Coincidentally enough, being enamored and liking pretty things would be the same reasoning behind my becoming a dragon trainer.

In case you were wondering.

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