Bourjois's Vintage Blush

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOURJOIS!

Popping the champagne corks, Bourjois are ready to fizz by celebrating their 150^th birthday early with four new blusher shades from their vintage heritage. And haven’t they aged well?

AN ORIGINAL 1920's AD

Being a lady of the Victorian era must have been challenging to say the least. Refined and modest in her demeanour – or one might say prim, the mention of undergarments was deemed uncouth and they frowned upon the wearing of make-up, deeming it fit only for prostitutes’ and actresses. Her beauty regime consisted of chickweed for freckle removal, massaging castor oil into her eyelashes and using rice powder to dust her nose. Lipstick was too overt – a clear pomade would be used to induce sheen, so I’m sure it was with utter joy when Alexandre Napoleon Bourjois introduced the first compact power Blusher in 1863 – a classic rose pink. Ladies could finally stop pinching their cheeks out of sight and dust on some flattering colour to brighten her ivory complexion without looking too ‘cheap’ one would suspect!

FROM L TO R: ROSE POMPOM, ROSE MANDARINE, VELOUTE DE PECHE AND ROSE THE

Fast forward to the 21^st century, and make-up is now a way to celebrate and enhance our beauty. Blusher is hailed as a youth inducer by many a make-up artist, as it instantly lifts the complexion and whips away sallowness from the skin. The vintage shades revived from Bourjois this summer are subtle in their approach, but nevertheless extremely pretty. The line up includes: Rose Pompom 37, a soft ballerina matt pink, Veloute de Peche 38, a gold infused soft peach, Rose Mandarine 39, a fresh matt peach and Rose The 40, a warm antique matt rose. If you’re not familiar with the formula, then let me tell you their finely milled, highly pigmented baked powder blends flawlessly, and the fragrance of rose extract can only brighten your mood when you open the pot. Now, if only we could put a candle on top.

Bourjois Blush new summer shades are available from July and costs £7.49 each