Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color of the Year Blush Duo

Just as I thought I had finished drooling over the Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Color of the Year Collection, I opened the Color of the Year Blush Duo ($26). The duo's elegant packaging, with all the features of the other items I had purchased, offered a surprise. The lightly frosted Plexiglas-like top of the palette has magnets in all four corners. It can be removed entirely, and when you are ready to return it to protect the blush, it snaps right into place. The eye shadow quad in the collection has the same design. I think it's beyond cool.

This luxurious blush duo, inspired by Tangerine Tango, the Pantone trend-setting color of the year, offers micro-fine pressed powders that deliver all-day wear. Each shade can be worn alone or layered for a contoured look and a unique shade and finish. Light, yet creamy to the touch, with no fall-out, this translucent powder is packed with brown seaweed extract to keep your skin soft and supple. "Smooth away fine lines and blemishes with a veil of natural coverage and give your cheeks a warm, energized flush."

I think my camera focused on the blinding white packaging, rather than the blushes in the photo directly above. In both product shots, mine and Sephora's, you can see that one shade is unadorned by pattern, while the other is fancy, with the circular, bulls-eye pattern that grace the Prisma Chrome Blush in the collection. My photo shows the positioning of the items the way they arrived. Desert Flower is on the left, and Coral is on the right.

Desert Flower, Pantone #15-1435, is a light, matte tangerine-peach shade. Coral, Pantone #16-1539 is a pink-toned orange with gold shimmer. While it looks like a sparkling rose in my swatch photos, it does show its peach in person. It's really a gorgeous shade - even on my cool-toned skin.

Desert Flower is shown at the top of my arm, and Coral Flower is shown below. I applied both heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator and took my photos in full sun. I think both shades are stunning. Although matte, Desert Flower shows me some life, as you can see in my photos. It reflects light, while adding a flush of spring peach to the cheeks. Coral Flower shimmers indoors or out, with a brilliant sunset shade that looks pink one moment and peach the next. I can't explain its changing character on my skin. Magic? It wouldn't surprise me. This whole collection is magical, and a pleasant surprise. I'm thrilled.

I'm wearing Coral on my arm indoors as I write, and I see shimmering peach. My office is a bit dark because of our cloud cover. When I go outside in sunlight, the pink tones are more prominent. I suspect other environmental conditions will affect the shade on the skin. Clothing may have an effect, along with your own skin chemistry. No matter what the color, I'm very pleased with the chameleon.

I think Sephora hit a home run with this collection. Here's their description of the Pantone partnership.

United by a passion for color, Sephora and Pantone combined their expertise to become beauty's leading authority on color. Sharing an affection for how color can transform a face, mood, or even an attitude, this breakthrough beauty partnership will change how you wear, feel and think about color. You'll be introduced to playful shades that will inspire experimentation and exhilarating new products you'll impulsively want to sweep on. It will reawaken and reinvigorate your own passion for color or ignite a newfound love. Join us in celebrating Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango!

Sephora (and Pantone) placed the bar extremely high with this limited-edition, exclusive collection. How will they top it?

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty