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12 Must-Have MAC Blushes for Glowy Cheeks

12 Must-Have MAC Blushes

About the Temptalia Must-Haves Series

A series of posts showcasing must-have products from MAC Cosmetics’ permanent line of products. Selections are based on quality, universality, uniqueness amongst the line, and the like. Limited edition shades are deliberately excluded to make buying easier. Readers’ comments act as a supplement to these lists of their favorites and must-haves. You can find the entire series here.

Powder Blushes

  • Well Dressed blush is a confection of cool, baby pink with a satiny smooth texture. I love to wear this shade (even with my warmer coloring) with cooler toned looks, especially with cool purples or smoky eyes.
  • Dollymix blush is a bolder, brighter dirty pink with a light shimmer. This is one of those blushes that makes the cheeks really stand out and become a focal point.
  • Margin blush is a dirty peach with a little bit of berriness to it. It’s an incredibly flattering color on a variety of skintones, and it is, by far, one of my favorite everyday blushes.
  • Plum Foolery is a dirty plum-berry shade with slight shimmer. The pigmentation is amazing, and the color is incredibly versatile.

See eight more must-have MAC blushes!

  • Ambering Rose blush is deep, lightly sihmmered rose shade. It works really well to accentuate cheekbones and color, especially with more neutral eyes.
  • Springsheen blush is a light, coral-peach shimmer shade that works extremely well on warm tones, but it is light enough to be worn by cooler skintones, too. I love this shade for just a little bit of color on cheeks without overdoing it.
  • Sunbasque blush is a dirty peach-bronze shade that just shimmers in the sun. It’s kind of like a bronzer, but it has a bit more color in it.

Blushcremes

  • Posey is a creamy, soft rosy pink. I love to wear Posey during the summer and layer it with a powder blush or highlighter for long lasting cheek color.
  • Lilicent is a coral-y, peachy shade with warm undertones. It’s very creamy and easily blended on cheeks for a natural look.

Mineralize Blushes

  • Dainty mineralize blush is a sheer and soft light pink shade with gold shimmer. This is a great blush for barey-there color.
  • Gentle mineralize blush offers a soft, raspberry shade with gold shimmer laced through it. Absolutely stunning in color!
  • Warm Soul mineralize blush is a peachy color with a little bit of dirty red to it. It has gold shimmer flecked in the color, and it works really to brighten skin.

What are your favorite MAC blushes?

196 Comments

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Martha Avatar

My favourite blush of the moment ist actually a Pro-Colour, Salsarose. I have cool toned skin and this blush works so great on it! It gives me a natural cheek colour and is just perfect for spring make up!

aradhana Avatar

i don’t have any of the ones you’ve mentioned….though i keep considering well dressed and dolly mix everytime i check out the mac blushes! i’ll have to try some of these out!

favourite finish is sheertone….

my fave shade is probably emote, because i seem to be able to use it for contouring or as the actual blush, depending on the look. i also really like stark naked and enough said…oh and blushbaby is really good for understated cheeks when doing strong lips!

Coffee Avatar

I’ll b e honest. Since falling in love with NARS blushes I haven’t even touched a MAC blush. But when I did I LOVED: Format. Such a pretty shade!

Megan Avatar

I have several favorites blushes…MAC ones are Love Thing, Love Joy, and Merrily mineralized blushes I just can’t chose between them. I also love the beauty powder blush in Feeling, it just gives me a pretty pink blush even on my dark coomplexion… also NARS’s Taj Mahal its just a gorgeous shimmery burnt orange.. I love it!!

Anitacska Avatar

I agree with you on Gentle, it was my first mineralize blush. I use it a lot. I also love all the Grand Duos, esp Intenso, Grand Duo and Love Rock. My other favourite is Honour, it’s such a gorgeous highlighter. 🙂 Oh and Fun & Games, it’s exactly the colour I thought Enough Said should/would be (I bought ES because you really praised it on here, but didn’t like it, but I love F&G).

Nicole15 Avatar

I have still to try out MAC blushes. I always want to, but have been overwhelmed by the selection & trying to find out the right color for me. I am picky with blush as i love a pop of healthy color on my cheeks without looking like a clown or a shimmery disco ball. Presently, I use NARS Amour as my go-to blush. However, this post gives such great suggestions & the perfect description of what the color actually is & will do for your cheeks, that I think I can now head back to MAC with a few colors in my head to try out. Thanks Christine!

Tiffany Avatar

I absolutely agree with all of you on the Margin blush. Amazing!! I purchased mine about 3 wks. ago. One for myself and one for a friend. I am NC30 and my friend is NC45. That is what is so amazing about many of MAC products, they are so versitile. They look great on so many skintones. Margin is a must have for everyone, imo.

francesca Avatar

I really love Emote for contouring, Prism as a neutral and Melba for the perfect peach shade. Useless to say, I prefer matte blushes!

Chrystie Avatar

My two favourites are Stark Naked and Devil. Stark Naked is a gorgeous pink with a golden shimmer and Devil is a very pigmented reddish orange – a litte goes a long way.

Hasti Avatar

I think gentle mineralized in my opinion is very similar to stark naked blush….i actually bought stark naked and returned it after i compared it to gentle =)

Jennifer Avatar

Wow, I actually have 3 of these must have blushes (only have 5 blushes total!). Dollymix, Plum Foolery (which I never hear mentioned) and Gentle mineralized are all a must have for me. Great picks girl!

Jessie Avatar

I have a couple skinfinishes, but I’m blush-shy, I’ll admit it.

However.. I love the Just a Pinch gel from the Rose Romance! Put a little on and blend in before you put foundation on (if you use powder, it peeks through. Looks good!).

I also use Dallas, Perfect 10, and Georgia from Benefit lol

Nathalie Avatar

I love Peaches. I love sheertones because you can build up layers and avoid a strong look if you want it to be this way. I’m looking for a pinker blush, in the same spirit knowing I don’t really like bright cheeks or blue-pink colors and that I’m NC15 most of the time (any suggestion welcome!) 😀

niknik Avatar

Peachykeen! I wear it everyday.
And my absolute favourite is Eversun beauty powder blush, so glad it’s coming back for Style Warriors!

Jay Avatar

I really love Fleur Power. it doesn’t get enough love from me theese days, but it is the perfect soft, bright pink color.

My go to blush on a daily basis is a Mark. blush in SunLove Glow.

Izzy Avatar

I really want to tell you how much I love looking up your updates that are tagged “five ways”. Its helped me look for items that I have never considered buying and how to use them all in one simple shot. Keep them up!

Heather Avatar

I just bought perfect topping mineralize skinfinish, and wasn’t too crazy about it. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good highlighter? I usually use orgasm by Nars or the cream blush from the emanual ungaro collection (which is a pretty pinkish stain).

Gretch Avatar

Try MAC’s Trace Gold as highlighter. Or, I use Laura Mercier Secret Brightener. It doesn’t really show up to the naked eye, but you’ll appreciate it more in photographs.

Beda Avatar

Oh wow, I have way too many blushes, even though I’ve given some of them to my Mom and sister-in-law. I agree with most of your favorites, I have most of them too LOL!!!!

Well, I really love red tones. MAC blushcreme in Laid Back, Frankly Scarlet, Mineralize Blush in Merrily and Joyous BP (more coral than red)—all of them are amazing and give my cheeks a really healthy color/glow. I apply them with a Fan Brush (similar to MAC184), this helps with a light application. If not, I could easily look like a clown, hahaha.

msviolet Avatar

Love your choices, Christine! My favs are Margin, Blushbaby, and Refined msf from Sugarsweet. I never/rarely blush naturally, so I like colors that give my NC15 skin a nice cheeky glow. 🙂

Elle Avatar

I’m obsessed with my MSFs (Brunette, Light Flush, and Petiicoat come to mind as a few of my favorites), and my other favorite blushes are Blooming (Cult of Cherry), Eversun beauty powder blush, Dollymix, Blushbaby, and the Warm Soul, Nuance, and Gleeful mineralize blushes.

Jill Avatar

Pretty Baby BP from the HK collection.
At first i couldn’t get it to show up on my nw15 skin, but i found a much denser brush and now i love it for a natural looking cheek.

Christy Avatar

I have Warm Soul and Sunbasque, both options are great when I just want a little bit of color. I also love the Hello Kitty beauty powder blushes Tippy and Fun & Games. And of course the Grand Duo blushes are amazing! I got all of them, except Hot Planet, which I am sure I will get really soon. =) Out of the Grand Duos, my favorite is Intenso for a classic glamour look, 2nd is Moon River when I’m doing a cooler look.

misstrendy Avatar

my two favourites were LE products… beauty powder blush in “Secret Blush” (its a mauve with coral shade if i had to describe it with low shimmer). and “pink glow” (closest i can find is pink swoon) not sure which collections these were from. recent picks would be the MSF from BBR in Brunette degrade and the two beauty powders from rose romance and just a pinch gel blush. I also like the golden bronzer for summer. this topic really helps because i need to expand my blush collection.

ReenyLu Avatar

my go to blushes: Mocha (it’s awesome- doesn’t get enough publicity! lol) and Dainty….I’m also a sucker for MSF’s for blush usage…Light Flush is my everyday one if i want to look all cute and sparkly lol

Kacie Avatar

I’ve become a flat out whore for blushcremes. I lovelovelove brit wit, it’s my everyday blush when I don’t want to think about what might match or clash, it just comes out gorgeous on my skin. I have and love posey too and fell in love with blossoming recently. I think it might be the first item I actively seek out having alllll of them.

JANE_m Avatar

margin has been a staple of mine for, forever! i also love hipness from the fafi collection. thanks for this though, im plannin to by a mac blush pallete and ive been debating on colors!! yeyyy cant wait ^__^

PK Avatar

My favorite blush is Dame. When I put on foundation, it washes out my natural cheek color. Dame is a satin and looks just like my normal cheeks, but better. This was my everyday blush until I discovered Moon River from the Grand Duos collection. I had to learn how to highlight because of Moon River, but my cheeks just keep getting better! 🙂

Saira Avatar

I really like Dollymix – it gives a great natural flush. I really like how I can either apply it subtly for a more subtle flush or layer it for a bolder cheek colour. I also really like Dame – it’s a nice subtle pink colour and it has a really nice texture too.

Michelle Avatar

Well Dressed of course

others include

1)Cubic
2)Blossoming
3)Peechykeen
4)Pleasantry
5)Margin (thanks to christine)
6) Pinch o peach

Michelle Avatar

Well Dressed! Cubic, Peachykeen, Tenderling, Blooming, and Margin. I got Margin due to a rec by Christine LOVE IT! Blooming is a LE, gorgeous. LOVE Well Dressed. Cubic, nobody else mentioned. I adore it.

Val Avatar

I absolutely love the grand duos for blush! Since they came out, my other blushers hardly see the light of day! My picks: Intenso, Grand Duo, Hot Planet and Love Rock.

Arika BH Avatar

Sunbasque is the best on so many different skintones. I love this amazing shimmery brown pinky peach blush! It’s so well pigmented. Frankly Scarlet is a must have too. Pink Swoon is perfect and rounds out my top blushes from mAC

Annika Avatar

I have Gentle, Warm Soul and Blooming (LE from Cult of Cherry). I think I’ll get Dainty now 😉 And maybe Well Dressed some day.

Orsola Avatar

I love gentle! It’s my favourite blush! With moonriver on the top it’s wondeful! I really like also: springsheen, hipness fafi, X-Rocks, and a new entry… ambering rose! Now I would try cantaloupe and a Nars Blush!

AJ Avatar

My favorite MAC blushes:

1. HK Tippy
2. Azalea (Pro color)
3. Coppertone (HG!)
4. Ambering Rose

And I pretty much love all the MAC mineralize blushes!!!

Though, I must admit, I’m falling in love with NARS blushes!!! My fave NARS blush? It’s a tie between Taj Mahal & Torrid – they’re both so beautiful!

listrikmu Avatar

Here are my favs MAC blushes.

Pink: toss btwn Pink swoon and Dame
Peach/orange: Melba. Its a matte blush and turns out true peach on me!
Red’ish: Merrily mineralise blusher. A little goes a long way. I use a stippiling brush for this.
Brown/bronze: toss btwn Sweet as Cocoa and Eversun BPB. Tho Sweet as cocoa is more true brwn.
Neutral: Warm soul mineralise blusher. This is great as a light bronzer or worn on its own w a dark/smoky eyes. I use to tone down too bright blushers or too flat colors too!
Plummy: X-rocks, great shimmery plum.
I need more plum/rosy blushers…any thoughts on Fluer Power? versus Plum foolery? Thanks!

Karla Avatar

MAC is discontinuing my blush… Strada. Darn-it. Hopefully I can find something like it. It’s the perfect Matte contouring shade… Sigh…

mlou Avatar

My must haves (NW10):
Blushbaby
Mocha (these two are my neutral go-with-everything)

Well Dressed w/light hand
Style -great pop of color

fav LE’s:
Afterdusk
Stark Naked

Tina Avatar

My fave blushes are Peachtwist,love love intenso and gentle, and i loved neo sci fi’s Spaced out. Gorgeous color for my nc35 skin:)

MC Avatar

I’m studio fix powder N4 and mineralized skinfinsh natural powder light medium (so decently pale) with slightly rosy cheeks. I’m looking for a sheerish-matteish-pinkish/coralish color and a sheerish-matteish-peachish color. Preferably in MAC’s original, non-LE powder blush.

Help?

itie Avatar

Hello,
just read this article, I used to read only.
But this article is GOOD.
For me, I used to use MAC Mocha Matte, and now trying some Nars blushes, but seems no pink on me.
Can you suggest for me, an NC30~35, for pink shades for MAC.
I have Love Joy from MAC and Peaches sheertone blush..
and several Nars blushes.

abby Avatar

Hi Christine!! see lots of people like dame, pink swoon, well dressed and coygirl. What would be more suitable for an NC30? i mostly wear pinks and purples. Thanx so much 😉

Leli Avatar

which of the these three would look better on my skintone (i’m nc20)
dainty,gentle,warm soul…(you may even say all of them i don’t mind!)
i like not so pigmented blushes that i can control though…

Karleigh Avatar

I went to my mac store a few weeks ago and tried dainty, and it was beautiful! I’m super freaky pale, the NC 15 foundation darkens my skin hahah, so dainty gave me a natural pink color without it looking clown pink!

Elyse Avatar

I am torn between Mac’s Posey and Ladyblush. I used to have the Stila Convertible Color in Petunia but it showed up as a hot pink on my cheeks and was impossible to blend. I have light/medium skin and brown hair. Between Posey and Ladyblush, which one do you think would look best on me? Thanks!

CB Avatar

Maybe someone can help a recently blush obsessed girl over here! I’m looking for a true peach blush, preferably matte. Can anyone tell me the difference between MAC Peaches and MAC Gingerly? My head is spinning! Also, are apricot and peach any similiar?

That aside, MAC’s Lilicent is my first cream blush and I really love it. I feel like it offers the beauty of a natural glow, but also a pop of color. 🙂

wintery Avatar

I love your tutorials and reviews! and I love MAC blushes! I am tossing up between dainty and gentle – I am after a nice pink with golden undertone, similar to Stark Naked which I couldn’t pick up at the time – any reccommedations?? Thanks!

grace Avatar

i have pink swoon, bite of an apple (LE), margin, mighty aphrodite(LE), stlye, feeling flush (LE), utterly game (LE).
i kinda have a thing for collecting LEs

jackie Avatar

I have a lot of favorite MAC blushes. They include Fleur Power, Gleeful, Buddy Up, and Bi Tone. I especially like mineralize blushes, as you can see.

Lina Florentz Avatar

My skintone is MAC NW15 (but I wish they had lighter foundations though), Rose Ivory in Loreal True Match. I L-O-V-E Mocha and Desert Rose. They are so versitile, and mocha is really fool-proof, really hard to mess it up becaused its so easy to blend. Ive Plum foolery too, but havent tryied it on my cheeks yet (bought it a few weeks ago and have 10+ blushes to choose from). 😛 Im thinking of getting Dollymix or pro full fushia/azelea and also some of their peach, coral, orangebrown shades later. Ambering Rose is also very pretty, but I think its too similare in shade with Desert Rose (except Desert rose is satin finish)… Personally, I don’t care about finding the “right” color and right shade, because as long they arent too light for the skintone and using right brush, any blush works really well. -_-‘ Sometimes I use blushes that are recommended for deep skin. XD Hahah
 
(…but I think new beginners should be careful applying too dark blushes though).

Rsuhr Avatar

Hi Christine! My favorite blush is a creme blush from MAC called something special.  It’s a perfect coral that does a great job of hiding my pores and lasts quite a while throughout the day.  I never thought of putting a powdered blush on over it for longer wear, so thank you for the tip!  Also, on a side-note, I own durashell pro-long lipstick from MAC and I had basically thrown it in my bin of wasted products until I got your tip of applying the lip balm for 30 minutes prior.  Now, it’s my favorite lipstick!  Thank you so much!  You have the same skin color, hair color,and eye color as me so when you do the swatches, I really get a very true estimate on what the color will look like.  I have a little more pink to my lips, though. Thanks a million for your blog.  It has saved me a ton of money and helped me find some great shades, and I just found this blog about a week ago!  

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