REVIEW: Korres Cheek Butters

My apologies for the oddly-colored brows. I was trying out a new pencil and it...obviously didn't go so well. Wearing Eros Coral in this picture.

It's taken me quite a while to review these pretty cream blush pots, and I think I know why. I am something of a cream blush fanatic: if a brand announces it's coming out with a range of ooey gooey cheek products, I go a little berserk and insist on trying them, especially if they're at a great price. These Korres Cheek Butters were only $12 each on Sephora during the 2014 "we need to clear out our holiday shit" sale they always have at the end of the year, so I jumped.

And then I got sick.

And then I got distracted by all kinds of other cream blushes. Cue Christina Perri's "Only Human."

But even when I started to use these, I felt a little out of my depth. It's not because these are OMFG SO UNIQUE, it's just...I simultaneously enjoy them and feel apathetic towards them. Weird, right? Let me explain.

Eros Coral on the left, Philia Rose on the right.

I purchased two shades: Eros Coral and Philia Rose. I was actually most interested in the red shade, Chara Crimson, but it was no longer available on Sephora. In fact, none of these cream blushes are available on Sephora now; if you want them, you'll have to buy them from HSN at $25 for 6 grams.

What suckered me in was...well, affordable cream blushes, let's be honest. But I also think the packaging is really beautiful. Yes, it's plastic, but it's very sturdy plastic, and the designs on the lids? Freaking gorgeous. The colors also look quite pretty in the pots: Eros Coral is, as the name suggests, a true coral, and Philia Rose looks like a soft, neutral pink.

Interestingly, these shades take on a bit more of a "brown" tone when they're actually applied to my cheeks, particularly Philia Rose. This is not inherently a bad thing, but I tend to prefer "clear" blushes without a hint of brown because my skin is so pale. As it stands, these look nice on my cheeks, but not incredible.

The formula is also not what I expected. These are called "Cheek Butters," so I expected them to be more emollient and tacky like Korres's famous Lip Butters. The formula is actually on the dry side, and you'll have to run your finger over the product several times to warm it up. Hence, this is a cream blush formula that is best applied with your fingers so your body heat can smooth it out.

The dryness of the formula is simultaneously a pro and a con. On the pro side, it dries down on the cheeks and doesn't feel sticky. It's also decently long-wearing; both shades clocked in at 6+ hours of wear on me, depending on what I was doing and what the weather was like. This makes them a feasible cream blush option for people with oilier skin. On the con side, this is not the most flattering formula on my dry cheeks. It can also look a little patchy if you aren't quick with your application, since the product dries down so quickly. I use a "pat, spread, pat" sort of motion and work in sections.

Although this is not the best cream blush formula for my skin type/shade, and although they're not an astounding buy for the price, I would recommend these cream blushes to people who like a less emollient texture and more subdued shades, provided you can find them on sale. Heck, I'd even purchase that Chara Crimson shade if I could find it at a (very) reasonable price. But if you want something that's revolutionary, or great for dry or pale skin? Take a pass on these guys.

RATING: 3 out of 5

Bonus picture of Sim-Sim...and for once, she's not sleeping!