What do you look for in a good blush? Share your dream formula!
I love a soft, smooth, blendable blush with moderate pigmentation that has a satiny sheen–luminous but doesn’t emphasize pores–with long wear.
Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Texture. Pigment. Blendable. Not chunky glitter — I want to see some sophistication put into that sheen.
Agree 1000% with you .
Since I have Teflon cheeks, I’m always looking for one with good staying power . I usually have to layer a blush stain with a powder blush to get the best wear time. And I prefer matte blushes, as luminous ones tend to emphasize my pores
NARS Douceur. Period. Everything about it is simply perfection. MAC Blushbaby is a close second, but not quite as beautiful… Color, then finish are what matter most to me, but I’ve never had a blush not perform. I don’t mind having to build up pigmentation, and next to lip products, it’s the easiest to touch-up throughout the day, so it doesn’t have to wear more than a couple of hours. Besides, by keeping the color on the natural side, a bit of fading isn’t a big deal.
Blendability and finish! Also, that it doesn’t look too clownish or overly shimmery, because I usually like to look at least somewhat natural in that department, as in letting my eyes and/ or lips take center-stage.
Blendability is a must, and as someone on the very fair part of the spectrum, I prefer my pigmentation moderate but buildable. NARS or TF-level blushes may be great for deeper skin tones, but they are a nightmare to wear on fair skin.
In my opinion, a good blush needs to blend well and also have moderate pigmentation. I like matte blushes most of the time but if I don’t have any acne, I like a nice, shimmery blush as well. NARS blushes are my all time favorite!
I look for a soft, easily blendable formula with moderate to high pigmentation. I also prefer to have a satiny or matte finish to it rather than a shimmer one. This way I can control what areas of my face catch light with my highlighter 🙂
The same as you formula-wise. And color-wise something peachy or coral 🙂
It must be pigmented but super easy to blend out to a natural finish, if it’s cream it must be non drying and not highlight patches of dry skin, whilst powder should have a satin finish that mimics skin….I don’t ask for much 😉
Compliments my skin, pigmentation, and smooth.
I’m not sure if it has something to do with my face maturing, but I no longer like to wear obviously or distinctly coloured blushes and hells, blush at one point was my makeup crux and I have an enormous stash. So I find myself looking for super neutral toned blushes with a hint of shimmer to just add some subtle definition to the cheek area. Coloured blushes make me look older, fake doll like, even when applied subtly or so is my perception of how they appear on me at this point in my makeup journey. So I’m always on the lookout for something not too cool or not too warm:
Powder: Burberry Earthy, Nars Oasis, TF Ravish, Chanel Jersey, MAC Blushbaby, Becca Sweatpea
Cream: Nars Altai, Chanel Cheeky, Kevyn Aucoin Nuelle. Becca Fig Opal
Pretty much all my current workhorses, but I always have my eye out for more.
I feel the same, concerning colours and shades. I have half of the items you mentioned and just put the other half on my wishlist 😉 Thanks for inspiration!
Happy to help 😀 The single pan cream blush Nuelle by Kevyn Aucoin is discontinued. I found a swatch of it somewhere and like a maniac tracked it down on Evilbay in Australia. LOL.
Creamy and blendable; absolutely no sparkle or shimmer, but not entirely matte; warmer tone; soft, sheer but buildable pigment that wears long.
Smooth, blendable with good pigmentation in a way that allows the color and your skin to show in a healthy, beautiful way.
Satin Finish:
Not completely matte, more dewy than shimmer.
Build-able pigmentation:
Not so pigmented that it will cake up, but I hate products that only achieve 1 note of payoff (Benefit blushes 😉 ).
True to Pan:
Nothing bugs me more when you blush looks something completely different on the Skin. NARS Orgasum powder blush is one of the worst for that. It has a beautiful peach/pink tone in the pan, but all it get is gold frost one my skin. Even when I try to build it up, it gets more frosty gold and very little pink colour payoff my a fair skin.
The same criteria as Christine, but I prefer sheer/ low pigmented blushes, because I have really fair skin and moderate or highly pigmented blushes are difficult for me to work with if I am not going to carnival.
I prefer mattes, pigmented so that it shows on my skin tone but blendable so I don’t get clown cheeks.
You took the words right out of my mouth christine!
Which brand would you say makes the best blushes?
Tom Ford
I like a soft texture and prefer one that can be used with a soft brush or a light hand as my skin doesn’t take kindly to rough brushes. I like to have a mix of satin and shimmer(not glitter) finishes. I prefer at least 8.5 and really longer wear because I am not one to carry my full face makeup with me. Tom Ford love lust was the perfect blush when I found it. Chanel Malice would be #2 for me.
I look for strong pigmentation, even color payoff, wearability, and minimal pore enhancement. There’s nothing worse than giant pores and a glitter ball explosion on my face. Blushes should make you glow … They should never make you look like you lost a fight with Vaseline.
Color payoff & blend ability.
Blendable and luminous, preferably at satin finish!
That it won’t irritate my skin or cause breakouts.
It doesn’t melt off my oily face.
That it won’t oxidize on me.
Smooth texture and blends well.
Isn’t too dark/bright on my fair skin, or at least applies sheer. Buildable coverage is my friend.
Doesn’t have a ton of fall out.
Pigmentation.
Price, but I’ll definitely pay more for blush that meets all my criteria, or for an unusual shade.
Long-wearing should be in there, too.
Blush is my favourite – I change it everyday! I like decent pigmentation, but I can be heavy handed so blend-able is key! I like matte, satin, and sometimes luminous (like Chanel blushes). Some of my go-to’s are Benefit Dallas (the only blush I’ve ever bought & repurchased), Burberry Tangerine, MAC Ripe for Love and Chanel Evocation.
Something sheer that’s easy to blend. I try not to worry too much about wearing age-appropriate make up, because it’s not like I act my age. But I worry about being that older woman who looks like a clown because she’s wearing too much blush.
Mostly the texture of it. I love the new Milani powder blushes! I think they’re perfect. I also don’t like glitter, although I do love Luminoso, I feel like it just gives a lit from within kind of look.
A nice flattering color, close to what a natural flush would look like with blenability and maybe a light sheen shimmer. I’m blessed with great skin and my primer makes me look flawless so it won’t make my poor’s stand out. Finally something I can layer on…more heavily as the day, or night wears on.
My first perfect blush was the Clinique gel that came it small tubes and lasted forever….not the same anymore …why do they ruin a great product…
I tend to lean towards creams…
I use cream blush, and find that they all seem to pill as I rub them in. Are there any that don’t?
ID like a natural looking blush that I would look like I had flushed cheeks. I want it blend able, and lasting. I would love some shimmer sheen to it, as if moonlite is shinning on me from above, and yes, ID like it to last.
Christine, is there a TF blush that looks good on most people. I have golden tan coloring, or at least that’s the BM foundation I wear, and get so many compliments on my skin..TEEHEEHEE….my lil secret. I’m going to Ultra soon and need some ideas. Thanks!!!
I don’t know if there’s one that looks good on everyone, but if you have warmer skin, Love Lust is my personal go-to. If you want something richer, Ravish.
Actually, I just discovered how well my lipstick is one of the best blushes I could ever have. I recently ran out of my cream stick blush I prefer cream for drier cheeks and I was really scraping the tube for any color I could swab when I remembered an old tip I read before that lipstick can serve as blush as well! So, I started using some of my lipsticks to serve that purpose and it works well enough, it’s creamy, blends well and I use different shades depending on my makeup.
blends easily & good pigmentation
As Christine as said, I love a blush that has really good pigmentation with a satiny finish. I particularly like blushes that are part of a mosaic of like peachy coral shades.
Color, texture, blendability, and lasting power.
For me it’s good pigmentation (but not too pigmented) and longevity. I also prefer matte blushes since I hate the way shimmer can look in outdoor lighting. I do go for the occasional cheekbone highlight though!
if powder blush: true rich color, easy blendability, non-streaking, not chalky, long lasting, fragrance-free
if cream blush: not greasy, fragrance-free, good pigmentation, long-lasting, good blendability
I’m really pale (if my blush wears off, I’m basically colorless), so I look for blendability, buildability and longevity in a blush.
I definitely appreciate all colors and finishes, but the essential qualities of any blush should include high pigment (regardless if the shade is vivid or pastel), buildability and blendability (so that it is accessible for all skin tones) and long wear. Not emphasizing pores would be a bonus for many girls/boys, but I generally avoid my pore areas when I apply blush so I’m alright without it!
Christine, your description of a good blush sounds perfect to me! Although I can also appreciate a highly pigmented blush as long as I’m not in a rush, and sometimes prefer a modern (not too flat) matte finish.
Christine, sorry for 2 posts. I know it’s pores…. and thank you for your reco!!!
The most important thing to me in a blush is the texture. I hate blushes that aren’t blendable and go on splotchy no matter how much you blend. I’m with christine, a soft smooth texture with moderate pigmentation is the way to go. Too much pigment and it can be hard to work with. As far as the finish, I like mattes or something with a soft sheen. I want the most intense glow on the tips of my cheekbones but sometimes a glowy blush is gorgeous!