This is marketed as a blush, yet any time I have ever used it in the Shimmering Sands shade, it did nothing but act as a sparkly, pinkish highlighter. This is due to the fact that it is far too full of fillers, and NOT pigments. The pigments themselves are way down on the list of ingredients. The first ingredient on the label is talc, then mica, then oat flour (which is actually VERY good for the skin), along with zinc and titanium dioxide (natural sun screens and also good for skin healing), and then a pile of mineral oil (VERY bad for the skin - WHY?) and chemicals. What you wind up applying to your face is mostly a baby powder-like substance, minus the fragrance (unlike BENEFIT blushes), plus mineral oil and chemical preservatives with the tiniest bit of pigment. Not a great formulation at all.

I have found that it is best for summer use when I am using lighter, softer colors, although I rarely use it due to the mineral oil. It can also be used over lip gloss as a highlighter. Just apply gloss, tap some of this puppy over top, then smoosh your lips together. However, I have a BonneBell bronzer/highlighter type thingy which works far better for that than this product and is of higher quality, not to mention far cheaper.

Is it terrible? I've tried much worse, honestly, which are far more expensive than this product. BENEFIT blushes being one example (loaded with fillers and synthetic fragrances, yet they charge a premium price for their stuff). This CoverGirl product at least gives you a lot of product (18 grams/.63oz) for a middle-of-the-road price - but is still mostly filler. I can't see women with dark or tan skin using this at all either, as the fillers would probably make them look extremely ashen.

Would I buy it again? Highly unlikely as firstly, this one container has already lasted more than 2 years and secondly, not unless I see a far more pigmented, less sparkly shade of it in the store. Maybe I'll get lucky? I'm not holding my breath :-)