TheBalm InStain Long-Wearing Powder Staining Blushes in Toile, Argyle, Lace, and Houndstooth

Many Canadians will know that TheBalm is not as widely available as it once was since it was taken out of Sephora locations. I think there are some Rexall locations that carry the line, but as I never go to Rexall (and there is some ridiculous shipping/duties fees if ordering directly from TheBalm's website), I jumped at the chance of picking these up on Nail Polish Canada (I got three of them in a value set, and then bought one separately), who started carrying TheBalm sometime last year. The InStain blushes are meant to be long-wearing, staining blushes that come in six shades "perfect for all seasons and skintones," though TheBalm doesn't claim much more than that. Each blush comes in a slim cardstock case with a magnetic close and a mirror spanning the entire lid. The packaging design of these blushes is inspired by InStyle magazine, complete with an illustration of a woman, "headlines" ("Spring for this blush," "Color that won't quit," "The fastest way to a flirty flush," "The quickest way to make you blush," "Rosy cheeks all day and night"), and a barcode on the cover of each blush. Each InStain blush comes with 6.5 grams of product, and retails for $24.
Toile (cover)
Toile (inside)
Argyle (cover)
Argyle (inside)
Lace (cover)
Lace (inside)
Houndstooth (cover)
Houndstooth (inside)
Toile, Argyle, Lace, and Houndstooth

Toile is a medium-dark bright coral-pink in a matte-velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and more coral than MAC Fleur Power, more pink than MAC Modern Mandarin, darker and brighter than Hourglass Diffused Heat, brighter and more orange than Hourglass Radiant Magenta, brighter and less warm than NARS Amour, and more pink than NARS Torrid.
Argyle is a light-medium slightly cool-toned petal pink in a matte-velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and darker than MAC Dame, slightly darker and more matte than MAC Lovecloud, cooler and more matte than MAC Dainty Mineralize Blush, warmer and more muted than NARS Gaiety, and darker and slightly brighter than Tarte Dollface.
Lace is a medium bright blue-toned bubblegum pink in a matte-velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and darker than MAC Peony Petal, lighter and more muted than NARS Desire, slightly darker and more matte than NARS Angelika, brighter and more matte than Clinique Plum Pop, and cooler and less sparkly than Tarte Adored.
Houndstooth is a medium-dark pinky plum in a matte-velvet finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is less plum than TheBalm Cabana Boy, less brown and more matte than MAC Plum Foolery, more plum and more matte than MAC Gentle Mineralize Blush, slightly more plum than NARS Outlaw, and brighter and more pink than NARS Oasis.

Straight up, this is one of the most gorgeous matte blush formulas I've ever come across. They're so smooth and silky and buttery that I'm more inclined to call them velvet than truly matte, and they're never powdery or dusty. They're incredibly pigmented so a little goes a long way; like, seriously, a light dab of your brush into the powder is enough to get a full-blown flush. They apply incredibly evenly and blend out really well, too, which can be hard to find in a matte-finish blush. Not quite staining, as it comes off easily with regular make-up remover, but the wear-time, as implied, is impressive: a full ten hours without fading on my combination-oily skin.