Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Prisma Chrome Blush in Apricot Brandy

I knew it would be beautiful, and it is. I am so impressed by everything about the limited-edition Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Prisma Chrome Blush in Apricot Brandy ($16). In the tangerine theme, the color of the year, Sephora has created a blush that combines all the best features of baked, powder, and cream formulas, releasing perfect color and a texture that lays on the cheeks like a second skin.

Easily blendable and buildable without being powdery, this unique blush leaves an unbelievably polished and sparkling finish. The warm shade, Apricot Brandy (PANTONE #17-1540), was inspired by the Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango, and will light up the apples of your cheeks with a spirited glow - or provide highlights in tangerine that are sure to warm your face.

I cannot say enough about the elegant packaging of the Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Collection. It's substantial, better than the packaging of products that cost ten times as much. The box is gorgeous (see photo above); the box insert is equally stunning in its craftsmanship. The blush compact looks pricey (it's a bit small, but hey?). All in all, this blush is as worth of your consideration as any I've seen this year. I don't usually dwell on packaging, but take a look at what you'll see after your lift up the outer packaging. The blush compact is nestled within a perfectly fit insert, with a clear plastic covering to protect it.

All of this wouldn't matter if the blush were mediocre, but the sparkling peach color is dynamite. It's got style.

I was impressed when I opened the compact, and I was even more impressed when I started to play with Apricot Brandy.

I took my swatch photos in full, morning sun, and I swatched heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. Have you seen a peach this luscious recently? Can you believe that Apricot Brandy is a house brand, costing only $16? I even wonder if Sephora has recently changed manufacturing partners, moving from ho-hum to exciting.

The photo above portrays exactly how Apricot Brandy looks on my skin. The photo below is shows more saturated color, but it's the same swatch, with different lighting conditions. The color applies beautifully and sheerly on the cheeks, with buildable coverage, and a finish that's creamy - without any fall out.

This was one of the best sixteen dollars I've spent recently. I'm smitten. If Apricot Brandy is too sparkly for you to consider as a blush, you can apply it sheerly as a highlighter. Definitely check it out and see if you can resist.

I can't wait to show you the other beauties I purchased from the Sephora + PANTONE UNIVERSE Collection. All of them left me gasping. They are simply amazing - and available only at Sephora.

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