5 Blushes to Try for Medium Skin Tones
Next up, here are five blushes to consider if you have a medium skin tone. I tried to include different price points, finishes, and undertones, but there are so many blushes available, there are many more worth trying. I’m a firm believer that we can wear whatever we desire, whether or not it is supposedly “suitable” on us or not–there’s no harm in trying 🙂 Please share any suggestions in the comments!
- theBalm Cabana Boy — a medium-dark, cool-toned plum with a satin finish
- Kevyn Aucoin Neolita — a rich, berry-red with a satin finish
- Makeup Geek Summer Fling — bright pop of orange with a matte finish
- Clinique Peach Pop — a pink-coral with warm undertones and a luminous sheen
- Tom Ford Love Lust — a brightened, coral with a frosted finish
Pretty! I don’t have any of those so I need to check them out. I have a medium skintone and my all-time favorites are:
(1) MAC Small Vanity
(2) It Cosmetics Pretty in Peony
(3) Nars Deep Throat
Great picks, Lauren!
Even though I’m pale, I really want to try the peach pop!
It would still work on fairer skin!
Do iiiiiiiit! 😀 i think it’s fabulous on my cool vampire skin!
Can you tell me, maybe in MAC terms, 🙂 what is considered light or medium skin tone?
I am C1 in Face and Body and NW25 in others. Is that medium?
Thanks for your help.
Hi Lyse,
NW25 is usually considered light-medium to medium!
Thank you.
I’ve always wondered this as well. I’m about an NC40/42 right now, so I guess I should stop calling my skin tone medium!
I’m NC25, and I’d say it’s on the lighter side of medium, so NC30/NC35, but NC40/42 is slightly darker. MAC’s MSFN range really shows how much “Medium” encompasses, since there are like 6 shades with “medium” in them, lol.
I’ve always considered NC40/42 like a dark medium. I’m NC20, and I consider myself light to light-medium. I’m always like, “I’m light…but like…a dark light,” LOL. It’s all about perception, huh? I know many sales girls who would just classify me as fair, so I always wonder what they think when they see someone much lighter.
NC20 is the same to me – somewhere between light and light-medium!
I am exactly your colour and I call myself medium tan. (Nars Stromboli to Barcelona). Nars just calls us Medium 3 or 4 or something LOL. I can wear all of the blushes mentioned though and I own Love Lust, which I love. I find that so often fair skinned bloggers (not Christine LOL) will offhandedly toss a “and I don’t think this product will show up on darker skintones” when they don’t have the foggiest clue what they’re talking about!!
Thanks for these, Christine. I’d love to check out the Clinique Peach Pop next time. I’ve been using the one from MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Springsheen and it suits my yellow undertones. x
Springsheen is great for warmer skin tones!
Thanks for this! Very helpful
My pleasure, Brittany!
I want to try the clinique one! And I wish Love Lust was within my price range.
As someone with medium skin with very yellow undertones, Estee Lauder Sensuous Rose is my current go to – it looks really natural and goes well with a lot of other makeup. Also, Chanel Presage gets a lot of use from me.
Presage is lovely! 😀
I’ve wanted Lovelust ever since you reviewed it, Christine! I’m thinking once I lose 60 pounds, I’ll get it as a reward for myself! 20 pounds to go!
Congrats on losing 40!! That’s amazing!
Hey! I was just trying to justify getting Love Lust lol I was going to settle for a dupe, but this is a great idea! I haven’t actually started losing yet 😉 so I have the full 38 pounds to go! Congrats on losing 40!That’s awesome!
Oh, I forgot to say, I am really impressed by Cabana Boy, the finish is gorgeous! I myself would say I have light skin, but it’s very buildable and so I can see it working for all shades of medium skin too.
The finish on Cabana Boy is amazing!
I’m liking the look of Tarte’s Exposed these days. Haven’t bought it yet, but considering it. I have medium skin tone as well, probably the same as yours.
Exposed is nice! I prefer Tarina Tarantino’s version slightly more or Burberry Earthy for brown-ish blushes.
I literally dance every time I see the Clinique Cheek Pops on these lists. They’re such a great blush, more people need them! 😀
I want Clinique to come out with 15 more shades, lol!
I am a darker medium and I love Nars Amour, Lovejoy, Love from the Spring collection, Bobbi Brown Nectar, Chanel Rose Initiale…and I absolutely ADORE Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes in Luminous Flush, Mood Exposure ad Radiant Magenta.
Becca blush in Flowerchild and Mac Blushbaby are faves too.
And the discontinued Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in no 10, RIP!! (Fortunately my pan is still pretty full LOL.)
Lovejoy is such a great blush for medium and dark skin tones that are looking for more everyday color 🙂 (It also works on fair skin tones!)
Clinique’s so pretty.
There are also Tom Ford’s Flush, gorgeous also for medium skin tone.
Xoxo
Michelle
Great call on Flush!
I love the way Summer Fling looks!
It has such a nice finish!
I want to try MUG Summer Fling!
Hope you can try it next time you order from Makeup Geek, Rikki!
I haven’t tried MUG Summer Fling, but the other four shades look great on my very fair NW13 skintone!
Isn’t it amazing how truly versatile blush can be? Between application method and tools, most of them can be worn across skin tones!
Yay Peach Pop!! 😀 As usual, I’m also gonna throw in a mention for Chanel Affinite (if one were feeling indulgent), because it’s my favourite cream blush EVAR. 😀
Affinite is lovely!
Great Recommendations Christine! I haven’t spotted the Cheek pops in India and neither in SPain or duty-free! so bummed! 🙁
I hope they show up soon!
I own Lovelust and Summer Fling. I think Lovelust will look good on me in the winter. I’m too bronze right now. Summer Fling looks great! And it’s a perfect option for folks who didn’t get Mac’s Ocean a City.
I could wear Lovelust every day, lol!
Hi Christine,
Is TF love lust and Clinique peach pop similar? I know you love Love lust. It’s on my wish list but if it’s similar to peach pop I might get they one instead:)
Hi Grace!
http://www.temptalia.com/submit-dupe?sbs=1&pid=116689&dupe=154926
Peach Pop is brighter, slightly pinker, less gold-shimmered 🙂
NARS Sin & Oasis, although done carefully, they can work on fairer complexions.
Absolutely!
I am NC 40 and Thebalm pretty much shows nicely on my skin but not sure about TF love lust … so want to indulge in it butttt it looks too light for me
waiting for another post for darker skin 🙂
I think it will show up, but it will be subtler – glowy, luminous, slightly blushy-bronzy.
I’m NC25 and really want to try the TF love lust. One of my favs right now is MAC petal power. I tried to like the Cheeky bugger but it was too light. Great picks!
If I had to commit to one blush for all time, I might be able to commit to Love Lust!
Hmm I was so excited thinking medium skin blushes..now I realise at nc44 I have to wait for dark skin blush series :).I love MAC gingerly, Chanel Presage, NARS Sin ,Amour and Torrid.Im wondering if Nars Seduction and Liberte would be a good match for yellow undertones.
Btw Christine is Ask Temptalia still active?? Where can we ask our doubts?
Honestly, NC44 could still wear these! 🙂 You’re more in-between medium and dark, and so you could really take recs from both!
There’s no ask Temptalia at present – I, unfortunately, can’t keep up with it, but you’re always welcome to ask questions in the comments’ sections!
IMO, Seduction would be stunning on your skin tone! I’m yellow under toned, but at the light/light-medium end of the spectrum, and I love the way it looks with my undertones. Have you tried Dolce Vita?
Ginger pop and plum pop have worked well on my medium skin too! Great selection, summer fling has been on my list awhile now
Love the Cheek Pops! I think all of them work well on medium skin tones, but I tried to only pick one, lol!
Ironically the only one I don’t have is peach pop, but now I want it!
i’m NC30 with quite neutral-warm undertones and i am a sucker for nude blushes! my favorite lately is rouge bunny rouge habanera. my all time favorite is mac blushbaby, burberry tangerine, burberry cameo. i also LOVE clinique peach pop!! and la femme terracotta, mandarin red. i have so many favorites, LOL!
I will have to check out Habanera!
Have you tried Burberry Earthy?
Lusting after Tom Ford Love Lust…thought I am light-medium still think it would work. 🙂
Yes, Love Lust would be great on light-medium skin!
I’m quite light, but I’d love to have Neolita. It’ll have to wait, though as I have just bought one and have one on it’s way here. But it is a very pretty colour.
Honestly, I pretty much believe one can wear any color, regardless of skin tone/undertone! I love when lighter skin tones still get enjoyment out of super intense shades like Neolita 🙂
I would love to try Canaba boy and clinique peach pop.. 🙂
Nice picks!