Blushing Autumn Cheeks with Laura Mercier Spiced Cider

The unavoidable allure of Laura Mercier's Second Skin Cheek Colour was sure to keep me coming back for more, and not long after posting my review of Lush Nectarine (here) I caved and purchased another. The chief attractions of Mercier's blushers are the size and quality. The brand gives you a quantity that can be feasibly used up coupled with a product whose pigmentation and texture are so stellar that very little is required.

You're all likely very tired of hearing me babble on about autumn being my favorite season etc, etc, etc ... and yet I cannot stop. It was my love of the fall that attracted me to a blush I would typically consider outside my comfort zone, but what crisp weather lover could avoid a blush called Spiced Cider? 

Spiced Cider is a very dusty rose, descried by Sephora as "a medium tawny with gold pearl." I absolutely adore bright, pigmented blushers and for this reason I never thought I'd fall in love with a powder blush that could be classified as "tawny." However, Laura Mercier's Second Skin Cheek Colors are subtly illuminated by shimmer that only shows up as a slight glow on the cheeks. For this reason, Spiced Cider is not the flat dirty rose that I would typically associate with tawny shades. Rather this blush illuminates the face all while looking incredibly natural. 

When swatched, Spiced Cider appears to be a far more brown version of NARS Liberté (review here).  I likened Liberté to terracotta, but Spiced Cider seems far more so to my eye. While the heavy swatch on the left is intimidating, the blended product is glowing and wearable ... even on my pale skin. 

(Left to right): Spiced Cider swatched heavily, Spiced Cider blended

I haven't been the best about taking photographs of myself wearing products, so I'm attempting to put an end to it! From the swatches above I was certain I'd receive nervous and skeptical comments from many of you who may be interested in the blush but put off by the orange/brown hue. For this reason, despite the post-work makeup, I freshened up a bit and applied the blush. The proof is below: the blush looks natural and my cheeks look sun kissed but ready for cool wind and swirling leaves! 

Face

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer NW30

Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer 52 Vanille

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 52 Vanille

Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour Spiced Cider 

Eyes

MAC Brow Pencil Lingering 

MAC Paint Pot in Nubile

MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow

NARS Rue Boneparte Larger Than Life Liner

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Lips

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Boy

Spiced Cider will be a definite favorite this fall both for the name and for the color itself! Have you tried any of Laura Mercier's Second Skin Cheek Colour blushers?