Editors Tested More Than 50 Blushes—These 13 Have the Best Pigment, Blendability, and Wear (2024)

TL; DR

Our number one favorite blush is the Patrick Ta Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo. The chic compact combines both a cream and powder formula that apply beautifully on their own or can be layered together for added longevity and dimension. If you’re looking for a cream blush in a convenient stick, we can't recommend the Rhode Pocket Blush enough.

Our Top Picks

Formula: Powder, cream | Shades: 12 | Finish: Matte, radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes

With a cream and powder formula in one compact, this popular pick offers the best of both worlds. The powder is lightweight, blendable, and has buildable pigmentation with a satin finish. The cream, which is conveniently covered by a plastic lid to avoid contamination from the powder, has a firm but emollient texture that gives the skin a gorgeous radiance. You can apply each one separately or layer them for a customized look. Patrick Ta himself recommends applying a light layer of the cream on top of the powder—which is a bit counterintuitive—but it works to create dimension and enhance longevity. Both formulas apply and blend seamlessly and have impressive staying power.

Another major component we love about this pick is the shade range. It’s offered in 12 unique and wearable shades, from babydoll pink and vibrant tangerine to deep plump and rosy beige. There’s truly a shade for everyone in this lineup.

Alyssa Kaplan, associate commerce editor with oily/combination skin: “Despite constantly testing blushes, I always find myself coming back to this one. The cream and powder formulas layer beautifully together, and I think the brand has done a fantastic job creating wearable shades with unique and flattering undertones.”

Formula: Powder | Shades: 8 | Finish: Luminous | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There was so much buzz on TikTok when this blush launched, and we can confirm—the brand delivered on a top-tier formula. The baked powder has a stunning pearlescence that gives the cheeks an ethereal glow without looking too shimmery or metallic. It’s smooth and has buildable pigmentation; one light dusting will add just a subtle flush of color, while additional layers lend to a bolder blush look. Each one has a unique marbled design, swirling two shades together to create beautiful dimension. The marbling does mean that the color of each blush can vary a bit, but the end result on the cheeks is beautiful regardless.

We also adore the shade range. It offers everything from a Barbie pink to a lively blood orange; there are muted tones and pops of color, so everyone can find a shade (or several) they like.

Read Full Review: We Tried Kosas's New Skincare-Infused Powder Blush

Caitlyn Martyn, associate commerce editor with oily skin: “The shades are gorgeous and add a luminosity to the skin that I haven't been able to achieve with other blushes. The payoff is natural yet detectable on the skin and blends gorgeously with my other makeup.”

Formula: Liquid | Shades: 9 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, we can’t recommend this one from e.l.f. enough. It’s a highly pigmented liquid blush that’s available in nine shades, ranging from pale peach to deep terracotta—people with dark skin, fair skin, and everything in between can find shades that suit their complexion. The liquid formula blends easily, creates a natural skin-like finish, and lasts all day long without creasing or fading.

This blush packs a serious pigmentation punch, but there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to figuring out how much to use. We recommend applying one dot on each cheek and building up from there, if necessary.

Jasmine Phillips, social media editor with combination/dry skin: “This blush was very pigmented—in a good way. As someone with a deep complexion, not all blushes cater to my skin tone or are pigmented enough, but this blush was perfect. It is buildable, so you can use as little or as much as you want. A little goes a long way, for sure.”

Formula: Powder | Shades: 7 | Finish: Nautral/radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Hourglass is known for creating some incredible powder products, and this blush is one of our all-time favorites. The incredibly fine and weightless texture never looks powdery or chalky on the skin like some powder blushes can. It has a stunning luminosity that gives the skin what we call a grown-up glow—not shimmery or obvious, but rather super subtle and sophisticated. Its buildable pigment blends easily over foundation, making it especially perfect for blush beginners. We also think it’s an excellent choice for all skin types since it’s weightless and offers just a hint of radiance.

We wish it came in a more extensive shade range; a lot of the current shades are fairly light and look similar to each other on the cheeks. But if you find a color you love, we think you’ll be more than pleased with the formula.

Ally Hirschlag, associate editorial director with combination/sensitive skin: “The finish of this blush is unlike any other powder blush I've tried; it's luminous but not in an overt way, just in a way that you notice it when under good lighting. It blends out beautifully and looks like it's airbrushed when you're finished.”

Formula: Cream | Shades: 9 | Finish: Radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There’s a reason we crowned this one best overall in our test of the best cream blushes. It has a classic cream formula with an emollient texture that melts into the skin seamlessly, creating a natural-looking flush with a glowy finish. It applies effortlessly with your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge, and it’s suitable for all skin types, even those with sensitive or eczema-prone skin.

We love that it’s available in nine buildable shades, including neutral hues and fun pops of color, like vibrant coral and hot pink. To top it off, the packaging is cute and compact, and the price point is relatively affordable, given the superior quality.

Caitlyn Martyn, oily skin: “I've loved this blush for a long time because of how blendable and easy to work with it is. I've worn it with nothing but SPF and have also put it on top of concealer and foundation, and I find that it works beautifully no matter what.”

Formula: Liquid | Shades: 7 | Finish: Nautral/glowy | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A great liquid blush has a lightweight texture, buildable pigmentation, and seamless blendability; this one checks these boxes and then some. It features a serum-like consistency that melts into the skin as you blend it in before setting into a natural finish with a bit of a glow. All you need is one drop—that you dispense onto the back of your hand by turning the tube upside down and gently pressing the bottom—to drench your complexion in a healthy-looking flush. The formula is pigmented and can be sheered out or built up. It applies smoothly on bare skin and layers over foundation without a hitch. It also has impressive lasting power that doesn’t fade throughout the day.

The packaging is chic and compact, and we found the application intuitive. But this likely isn’t a product you’ll want to use on the go because it’s not easy to apply directly to your skin; it’s best applied on the back of your hand first before dipping into it with a blush brush.

Read Our Full Review: Hourglass Cosmetics' New Liquid Blush Requires Only One Drop for Bold Pigment

Alyssa Kaplan, oily/combination skin: “I love that this blush has a liquid/serum-like texture without skimping on color payoff. Just one drop is all I need to add a visible wash of color to my cheeks and leave my complexion with a natural-looking glow.”

Formula: Powder | Shades: 6 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Those with oily skin or an affinity for a matte blush look should check out this powder pick from Haus Labs. It features a finely milled powder (meaning it’s not too powdery or chalky) with rich pigmentation that can be built up for intense color payoff on the skin. Because it’s so pigmented, it can take a minute to fully blend, but once you do that, it looks super smooth, matte, and airbrushed. Even on oily skin, it's incredibly long-wearing and looks almost as pigmented and seamless at the end of the day as it does when you first apply it.

Although there are only six shades in the lineup, the colors available suit a range of complexions. From neutral rose to bold watermelon, there’s enough variety to complement different skin tones and makeup looks.

Shannon Stubbs, commerce writer with dry/sensitive skin: “Blush usually looks less intense on me as the day goes on no matter how much I apply, but this powder formula looked the same when I was taking it off at night as it did when I applied it in the morning.”

Formula: Cream | Shades: 8 | Finish: Dewy | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We love a dewy blush that creates glowy, wet-looking cheeks, and this one does that effortlessly. It’s a unique gel-like stick featuring an emollient texture that easily blends out whether you apply it with your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge. Once blended, it creates the most stunning dewy finish without feeling heavy or overly greasy, though the level of glow could be overkill if you have super oily skin.

It comes in eight distinct shades, from fuchsia pink and fiery orange to deep berry and bronzy brown. Each one has the perfect balance of buildable pigmentation with a hint of sheerness, so it works well across a variety of different skin tones.

Alyssa Kaplan, oily/combination skin: “The gel texture takes only a few seconds to tap into the skin, but the results are next-level. My cheeks always look bouncy, radiant, and healthy while wearing this formula.”

Formula: Powder | Shades: 8 | Finish: Luminous | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This luminous powder blush is perfect for when you want your skin to glow but don’t want to apply a separate highlighter. The baked formula contains ultrafine, light-reflecting pigments that add dimension to the shades and your skin when applied to your cheekbones. The lightweight powder applies smoothly and evenly. It has buildable pigmentation, so the more layers you add, the more color payoff you get. We love that the shades range from neutral beige to warm lilac—there are some unexpected hues that give the lineup a little something special.

This blush never looks heavy or glittery on the skin; the radiance is quite sophisticated. Like all powders that contain some level of visible shimmer, it can emphasize skin texture if you apply several layers. But we’ve found that building up the blush slowly almost always yields a stunning result.

Alyssa Kaplan, oily/combination skin: “I consistently reach for this blush on days when I want to give my skin some color and glow, but I don’t have time for a 10-step makeup routine. I love that the formula is smooth and buildable, and never looks glittery.”

Formula: Cream | Shades: 6 | Finish: Natural/glowy | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Rhode knocked it out of the park with its first foray into the color cosmetics sector. This blush is fantastic, and the adorable pocket-size packaging is only the beginning. The lightweight and creamy formula melts into a thin, emollient texture when you warm it up against your skin, making it completely effortless to blend. While it can lift foundation a bit if you apply it directly from the stick, we’ve found that warming it up with your finger and then applying it usually fixes that issue. Once you blend it in, it mirrors the appearance of real skin and adds just a hint of glow for the most natural but elevated finish.

We also love the shade range. While there are currently just six shades in the line (Hailey, please give us more ASAP), they’re nicely dispersed between neutral and bright, and they’re all really pigmented and buildable.

Read Full Review: Rhode's New Pocket Blushes Give Me Glazed, Flushed Cheeks

Hallie Gould, editor in chief with combination skin: "The texture is deliciously creamy, and the finish is luminous—but it stays put too. The pocket blushes blend easily (at home, I’ll use a brush, but fingers work when you’re on the go), and offer a buildable flush of color you can use anywhere.”

Formula: Cream to powder | Shades: 7 | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Makeup artist and brand founder Danessa Myricks is known for creating truly innovative formulas, and this cream-to-powder blush is some of her best work. The cool texture is somehow emollient and matte—it starts as a powdery cream and sets down to a blurring finish on the skin. It’s great for those with oily skin who want to use a cream product but find that they’re often too greasy. Once you blend this one in, it lasts for hours on end without fading.

We also appreciate the buildable pigmentation. Each color offers intense opacity, making the range excellent for those with deeper skin tones. While we wish there were more neutral shades in the line, there’s no denying that the existing colors are gorgeous.

Read Full Review: Danessa Myricks Just Launched a Colorful Cheek and Lip Balm—And We Tried It

Star Donaldson, associate social media director with acne-prone skin: “This product is incredibly blendable. In the pan, it's buttery smooth and blends into the skin for an airbrushed, skin-like finish. It felt hydrating and didn't cling to any dry spots. It melted into my foundations and skin tints and didn't cause patchiness.”

Formula: Cream | Shades: 10 | Finish: Radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’re new to blush and find it intimidating, or you’ve got a heavy hand and you’re trying to tone it down a bit, we highly recommend this cream formula from Makeup By Mario. It has a thin, lightweight, creamy texture that’s sheer but buildable; one layer provides just a hint of color, while a second or third creates a more saturated flush. It offers a skin-like radiance that makes your complexion look healthy, and we love that it’s formulated with hyaluronic acid for a boost of hydration.

We’re huge fans of the new vibrant shades in the lineup; they look beautiful on a wide range of skin tones and can be built up or sheered out easily. It’s not the most long-wearing option, though its thin, creamy consistency makes it super easy to reapply.

Read Full Review: Makeup by Mario Just Dropped a Plumping Blush Veil, and We Tried It

Hallie Gould, combination skin: “It's super lightweight and comfortable to wear. I love the finish, the easiness with which it blends, and the ability to build up color to your desired saturation.”

Formula: Liquid | Shades: 13 | Finish: Radiant, matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes

It’s safe to assume this popular pick needs no introduction—it has a massive following, and for good reason. Just one dot of this liquid color is enough to give your cheeks an intense flush. While that can be a bit intimidating at first, especially for blush beginners or those with fair skin, once you get used to the level of pigmentation, you’ll appreciate that a little bit goes a long way (who doesn’t love a product that appears to last forever?).

It comes in radiant and matte finishes that are both gorgeous, though we found the radiant finish easier to blend. Once set down, this liquid gold lasts all day long without creasing or fading.

FAQ

• Where should you apply blush?

  “Just like contouring, you can really lift or change your face with blush placement,” says Zito. Rather than applying blush directly on the apples of your cheeks like we’re often taught to, she recommends placing the blush higher on your cheekbones and up towards your temples for a youthful, lifted look. If you want to know how to apply blush for your specific face shape, Aponte has you covered:

  • Round faces: “Applying blush slightly below the apples of your cheeks and blending diagonally towards your temples can help create the illusion of length.”
  • Oval faces: “Oval faces benefit from application to the apples of the cheeks, blending upwards towards the temples.”
  • Square faces: “For square faces, focusing on the apples of the cheeks and blending in circular motions can soften angular features.”
  • Heart-shaped faces: “Heart-shaped faces look balanced with blush applied in a ‘C’ shape from the temples to the middle of the cheeks.”
  • Long faces: “Long faces can appear wider by applying blush horizontally across the apples of the cheeks.”
  • Diamond faces: “Diamond faces benefit from focusing on the highest points of the cheekbones, blending towards the temples.”

• How do you pick the right blush shade for your skin tone?

  There’s truly no right or wrong blush shade for you, but Zito recommends thinking about what color your skin naturally blushes when you get hot—this shade will look the most natural.“If you have really pale skin, you’re probably going to be well suited for a pale pink,” she says. “If you have a deep skin tone, the sky really is the limit, but I love playing with hot oranges, deep mauves, and even bright red on deeper skin tones depending on the rest of the look. For mid-range skin tones, if in doubt, a peachy color is the most universal shade for blush that usually complements any skin tone.” But regardless of your skin tone, don’t be afraid to experiment with different colors based on your outfit or the rest of your makeup look.