Chantecaille Elephant Fun Cheek Shade for Fall 2012

Yabba dabba doo! My Elephant Fun Cheek Shade ($38) arrived this week. It's everything I expected - and more!

How quickly could I write a blog feature? Not in the five minutes I had earlier (for those who read the first version of this feature). I'm back now, having had bilateral shots of cortisone in my spine, and I'm raring to describe the elephant blush.

The little Elephant Fun Cheek Shade is small, but elegant. It feels like a polished talisman in my hand. Open it up, and you'll see the stunning elephant, who will, unfortunately, disappear with use. He'll be gone before you've used it a week. Still, he's irresistible.

Take a look at this swatch! I took my photos in full sun, and I applied the blush heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator. Keep that in mind when you see the concentrated color in my swatch photos.

As you can see here, the shade is warm peach with a twist. It's not pure peach, but I wouldn't call it coral either. Chantecaille calls it soft apricot. That works for me. It has hues of pink and coral in it, and the lighting and clothing, along with other makeup, can enhance its appearance. You'll notice that my swatch photos were taken in different outdoor lighting, and that made a slight difference in the appearance of the shade.

The gold overspray will be gone in a heartbeat, so don't count on shimmer. I tried to avoid it with the new compact when I applied the swatch to my arm.

Here are some other things you should know. Chantcaille's Cheek Shades are made with micro-particles that contribute to their exquisite colors and featherweight texture. Processed with a new technology that produces a light, ultra-fine coated powder, Cheek Shades go on matte and adhere beautifully to the skin, yet blend so well they leave no perceptible surface.

Fitting for the elephant blush, it's cruelty-free - it has no animal, lanolin, or mineral derivatives. Even better, five percent of the proceeds from this blush will be donated to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an organization that rescues, fosters, and release baby elephants orphaned by ivory poaching (which is out of control and threatens the elephant population in addition to being so cruel it makes me cry).

I've adopted two baby elephants and will adopt more in the future. Read the organization's Web site, and I'll bet you'll have an elephant of your own soon. It will break your heart, but gladden you that someone cares.

I purchased my Elephant Fun Cheek Shade from Chantecaille's Web site, and I'll be purchasing another one from Jeannine Barnes at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie when she gets her stock. You will be able to find this beauty at all Chantecaille counters very soon, if not now.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty