Blushes (Over $15) | 2021 Editor's Favorites
Oh, yeah, this is where things get interesting! There were 141 single blush reviews during 2021, and below, you’ll find my top 10 favorites. I’m so glad that cream and liquid blush have become more popular, though I find I’ll still reach for powder more often.
If you’re unfamiliar with how I like to do my year-end favorites, here’s the low down: I pull from the products I reviewed in 2021, regardless of whether they were new, limited edition, or an established range I’ve only just gotten around to reviewing. These are personal favorites, so they may or may not be the highest rated products reviewed during the year (though they will tend to be better rated, naturally!). (You can check out the best of 2020 posts if you missed last year’s.)
Temptalia’s Favorite Blushes (Over $15) | 2021
Rare Beauty Believe Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a muted, darker pink with warm undertones and a natural, lightly dewy finish with...
Rare Beauty Believe Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a muted, darker pink with warm undertones and a natural, lightly dewy finish with...
Rare Beauty Hope Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium pink with strong, warm undertones and a natural, dewy sheen. It had rich...
Rare Beauty Hope Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium pink with strong, warm undertones and a natural, dewy sheen. It had rich...
Natasha Denona Bloom Puff Paint Liquid Blush Serum ($22.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a darker, raspberry pink with cool undertones and a natural finish--not...
Natasha Denona Bloom Puff Paint Liquid Blush Serum ($22.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a darker, raspberry pink with cool undertones and a natural finish--not...
MAC Fleur Sure Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($37.00 for 0.31 oz.) is a light peach with warmer, more orange undertones and a slightly cooler, iridescent...
MAC Fleur Sure Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($37.00 for 0.31 oz.) is a light peach with warmer, more orange undertones and a slightly cooler, iridescent...
Rare Beauty Encourage Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a soft, dewy finish. The warmth...
Rare Beauty Encourage Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($20.00 for 0.25 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a soft, dewy finish. The warmth...
Natasha Denona Darya Puff Paint Liquid Blush Serum ($22.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a light-medium, pink-coral with moderate, warm undertones and a natural...
Natasha Denona Darya Puff Paint Liquid Blush Serum ($22.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a light-medium, pink-coral with moderate, warm undertones and a natural...
Makeup by Mario Earthy Pink Soft Pop Blush Stick ($28.00 for 0.37 oz.) is a medium-dark, pinky-coral with subtle, warm undertones and a dewy finish....
Makeup by Mario Earthy Pink Soft Pop Blush Stick ($28.00 for 0.37 oz.) is a medium-dark, pinky-coral with subtle, warm undertones and a dewy finish....
Phytosurgence Fume Skin Spark Blush Balm ($17.07 for 0.14 oz.) is a dusty pink that seemed to have a warmer, more orange base initially, though it...
Phytosurgence Fume Skin Spark Blush Balm ($17.07 for 0.14 oz.) is a dusty pink that seemed to have a warmer, more orange base initially, though it...
Phytosurgence Fervor Skin Spark Blush Balm ($17.07 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep pink with warmer undertones and what seemed like a cooler overtone, as it...
Phytosurgence Fervor Skin Spark Blush Balm ($17.07 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep pink with warmer undertones and what seemed like a cooler overtone, as it...
LYS Beauty Confident Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush ($16.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark coral with warmer, more orange undertones...
LYS Beauty Confident Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush ($16.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark coral with warmer, more orange undertones...
MAC Look Don't Touch Extra Dimension Blush ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium pink with moderate, warm undertones and a soft sheen. It was less...
MAC Look Don't Touch Extra Dimension Blush ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium pink with moderate, warm undertones and a soft sheen. It was less...
MAC Under My Plum Extra Dimension Blush ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark plum with subtle, warm reddish undertones and a luminous sheen. It had...
MAC Under My Plum Extra Dimension Blush ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium-dark plum with subtle, warm reddish undertones and a luminous sheen. It had...
Pat McGrath Nude Venus Divine Blush ($38.00 for 0.34 oz.) is a slightly muted, medium pink-coral with a hint of tonal pink pearl over a semi-matte...
Pat McGrath Nude Venus Divine Blush ($38.00 for 0.34 oz.) is a slightly muted, medium pink-coral with a hint of tonal pink pearl over a semi-matte...
Melt Cosmetics Honey Thief Cream Blushlight ($22.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium, pink-coral with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It was...
Melt Cosmetics Honey Thief Cream Blushlight ($22.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a medium, pink-coral with moderate, warm undertones and a natural sheen. It was...
Lisa Eldridge Dante's Dream Enlivening Blush ($34.00 for 0.5 oz.) is a medium plum with strong, warm undertones and a natural finish. It looked more...
Lisa Eldridge Dante's Dream Enlivening Blush ($34.00 for 0.5 oz.) is a medium plum with strong, warm undertones and a natural finish. It looked more...
Tower 28 Happy Hour BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush ($20.00 for 0.158 oz.) is a bright, medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a dewy finish....
Tower 28 Happy Hour BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush ($20.00 for 0.158 oz.) is a bright, medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a dewy finish....
Anastasia Soft Rose Stick Blush ($32.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a matte finish. The texture was...
Anastasia Soft Rose Stick Blush ($32.00 for 0.28 oz.) is a muted, medium-dark pink with warmer undertones and a matte finish. The texture was...
Rose Inc Heliotrope Blush Divine Clean Dewy Cream Blush ($18.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a soft, pinky-peach with warm undertones and a natural sheen with...
Rose Inc Heliotrope Blush Divine Clean Dewy Cream Blush ($18.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a soft, pinky-peach with warm undertones and a natural sheen with...
Tower 28 After Hours BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush ($20.00 for 0.158 oz.) is a darker, reddened-plum with subtle, warm undertones and a natural...
Tower 28 After Hours BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush ($20.00 for 0.158 oz.) is a darker, reddened-plum with subtle, warm undertones and a natural...
MAC Royal Flush Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, plummy rose with soft, warm undertones and a warmer, more golden,...
MAC Royal Flush Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($31.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, plummy rose with soft, warm undertones and a warmer, more golden,...
Dior Rayonnante (330) Rouge Blush ($44.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a light coral with moderate, warm undertones and warmer, lighter peachy-gold pearl woven...
Dior Rayonnante (330) Rouge Blush ($44.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a light coral with moderate, warm undertones and warmer, lighter peachy-gold pearl woven...
Glossover Averages
Your Year in Review: Blush Edition
I thought it would be interesting to read through how readers used products throughout the year, what favorites emerged, what products fell by the wayside… so, if you want to join in, copy and paste the questions below and add your answers via a comment!
Feel free to break it down by price (over $15) if that makes sense to you since there was also an under $15 blush post previously.
- What was your most used blush? Least used?
- Will you repurchase it or will you look for something new?
- Was blush a big part of your routine in 2021?
What was your most used blush? Least used?
My most used blush this year, and I have hit pan, was The Balm’s Hot Mama. The least used was Clinique’s Melon Pop.
Will you repurchase it or will you look for something new?
I may repurchase it, but I will probably look for something new and different from the suggestions above. Honey Thief from Melt looks good to me.
Was blush a big part of your routine in 2021?
Blush is always a big part of my routine otherwise my pale porcelain complexion looks lifeless with some matte coral finish to it.
What was your most used blush? For the entire year, Honest Beauty cream blush in Rose Pink, however I’ve been using liquid blushes from Flower, Rare Beauty, NYX more often these days.
Least used? Powder blush, in general.
Will you repurchase it or will you look for something new? I really like the Honest Beauty cream blush formula and would repurchase if I was running out. I actually bought a new color from them recently, called Peony Pink.
Was blush a big part of your routine in 2021? Yes, for sure, I always wear blush. I like that blush flushed looks are more popular again.
Woah… I have far too many of the above sitting on my ridiculously long WL. Thinking that I may need to pare it down a bit, as I will likely never need all of them!
No Em Cosmetics blush. I thought they were the best of the year. Well curated cosmetics line.
Sorry, I don’t review that brand!
What was your most used blush? Least used? MOST USED: either Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush or MAC Sweet Sentiment Mineralize blush (LE); LEAST USED: MAC Glow Play in Rosy Does It – there’s nothing essentially wrong with it and the colour is lovely but I really do so much better with powder blushes rather than cream type formulas
Will you repurchase it or will you look for something new? I would repurchase Sweet Sentiment in a heartbeat if I could but it was LE from years ago; I would repurchase the Dior blush if I were anywhere near finishing it but I’m not – still plenty, plenty left – the pan hardly even shows a dip. Despite not even looking for new blushes, I think I’ve bought 6 or 7 in the past year (3 of them because they were from Becca and marked down to $12.99 or less and one from Kevyn Aucoin for the same reason)
Was blush a big part of your routine in 2021? because of masks being mandatory at work, the grocery store, shops, etc., not so much but I’d still wear it for those times when my mask came off – out for a walk, at home, etc. because I look so washed out without it.
MAC’s Fleur Sure looked SO pretty that I looked it up and even though it was released just back in June, it’s no longer available. I suppose a stray pan of it might end up at Winners but I won’t hold my breath. I wish I’d bought it back in June but I just read my comment when you reviewed this and see why I didn’t get it…
I never used cream or liquid blush in the past but I’ve become a convert! They always made me uneasy because I thought they’d make me break out but these newer ones are so light, I love them.