A lot of my favorite cheek products come from Natasha Denona, MAC, and Fenty these days. I also think Chanel remains reliable for blushes, bronzers, and highlighters with very few misses over a very long period of reviews.
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In terms of blush (what I think of when I think of cheek colour), MAC certainly leads the pack (what a range of shades and finishes – there is something for everyone) but also Dior (spendy, though) and Becca (when they had blushes – not the widest range of colours but I love the one I did get and I love the finish). UD had some (now discontinued) beauties but, again, not the biggest range of colours. So I guess overall, if I only had one vote to cast, it would go to MAC!
I have several blushes from Surratt and they are all excellent. They are very basic colors, so I can wear them very easily alone or I can also easily layer different color highlighters on top. I have about a half dozen clinique cheek pops and they are all fantastic. I am so fair that I worry about over applying and looking like a clown from the 80’s. That has not happened to me with either the Surratt or the Clinique since both can be built up slowly and blend out so easily.
I really like theBalm’s cheek products; their blushes, bronzers and Lou-Manizer highlighters are among my favorite, even after all these years. A more recent favorite would be CoverFx’s blush and bronzer duos.
Another area most brands do whether high end or low. My favorites are MAC, NARS, Hourglass, Milani, Flower Beauty, Sleek, Tarte, Becca
Ooh How could I forget Clinique Cheek Pops. Not the widest range but along with MAC they are my favorite formula!
When I want to know for sure that my cheeks will turn out well, I reach for Hourglass’s ambient light brushes, Clinique’s cheek pops, and Laura Geller baked blushes (both the marbled kind and the ones in a swirl). I know Laura Geller isn’t very exciting, but they’re reliable for me!
MAC and Nars always work for me.
Natasha Denona, MAC, and Surratt. Surratt is just the absolute best of the pack imo.
I sort of read this question as “Which brands do you rush to purchase cheek products from (especially when they have something new on the market)?”
I always can count on Hourglass and theBalm to make outstanding powder products, especially since I gravitate toward satin finishes (why are there so few out there?)
I do use a lot of cream products these days (for my aging skin) and RMS, Ilia, and Tata Harper are my go-tos. Their formulations differ from one another, but I appreciate everything they come out with.
You should try out a Clinique Cheek Pop. The finish is really divine!
Nars, MAC, Essence, Nyx and Hourglass have never let me down! Also, UD’s Afterglow Blush formula is fantastic! May it make a major return. And soon, as I’ve hit pan on Rapture.
NYX Ombre Blush in Mauve Me comes close to UD Rapture on me. I can’t see the difference after applying on the cheeks.
Tarte, theBalm, NARS, MAC, Dior, Natasha Denona, Urban Decay, and LORAC. For drug store brands: Milani, e.l.f., and Wet n Wild.
Whatever happened to Sleek? Their blushes were AMAZING, then it seemed all of their product ranges got really limited, and now I never see them anywhere. Maybe that’s just in the U.S.?
The one brand that makes me sit up and pay attention when they release new cheek products is Hourglass. I fell head over heels in love with their Ambient Lighting Powder range when it first came out and I reach for their blushes and highlighters more than any others.
I really like the formulas from Charlotte Tilbury and Becca as well.
For affordable and good quality Sleek takes the cake!
Blushes are, togheter with colourful eyepencils, the only product I still buy from drugstore brands. When my love for makeup started, I was an university student, with a limited budget, so I bought only drugstore. But when I started working, I progressively start to buy less stuff but invest more on quality. Currently I’m buying only medium-high end lipstick and eyeshadow palettes. But blushes are the exception. I tried high end products, but I’ve never found this big difference with drugstore products in terms of pigmentation blendability and logevity. There are a lot of drugstore brands that produces good blushes with good pigmentation and which work with almost every type of brushes, whereas I’ve found high end product with poor pigmentation and which works only with particular brushes (i.e marc jacobs). To conclude, my most reliable brands for brushes are kiko (the first) but also nyx. Pure drugstore
For blush: Colour Pop actually–especially all the non-powder cheek products–though the powders are worth checking out given the price point. I’ve been wearing a lot of old stash stuff lately, so also Clinique Cheek Pops, NARS, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Tarte and Surratt. NYX is also worth it.
For Highlighter: I have been wearing my Becca pressed highlighters, but I’m also enjoying Laura Geller and Colour Pop.
For Bronzer: As for powder, using my old Too Faced Bronzers: using Poreless Bronzing Powder and I also have Sun Bunny lying around somewhere.
For me, it would be Clinique at #1 and MAC at #2.
I love the finish and color selection of Clinique Cheek Pops, Nars & Cover FX Blush Duos. Some ds blush I’ve tried has been chalky looking w/ fallout. I’m trying to stay away from talc too, so I haven’t bought ds in forever.
Nars, ND and Hourglass. Reading other comments I really want to try Surratt, I’ve had my eye on this brand for a long time just haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I just have to make a commitment to a specific color…..
I haven’t been really adventurous when purchasing blush as so many of the brands mentioned by readers above have either been not available here in Aus, sold out quickly (Cover Fx duos in peach), have orange undertones (Colour Pop) or just wildly expensive (Clinique, NARS etc).
My favourite has been EA’s blush in Sweet Peach, which is sadly d/c now. So I am looking at what other’s have written here.
I do think MAC has done a pretty good job with their blushes over the years.
I love Hourglass, Clinique (those flower pop ones), and Colourpop. I just bought a ND face palette…the big one with highlighters…on sale at Sephora and have been loving it! CoverFX is lovely but a little too pigmented right out of the gate for me. I’ve kind of switched to duo fiber brushes for my blush…seems to help a lot with the pigment. I’m so fair. lol
Clinique and MakeUpForEver
Clinique Cheek Pops are hands down my favorite, I own many.
Mac is solid and dependable with a good range although they have DC too many pinks lately.
I recently fell for UD’s DC blush formula. For such vibrant mattes they go on softly and blend well. I’d like to score more, tbh.
I prefer baked formula powder blushes so my low-end fave is Milani and my high-end fave is Hourglass.
For Cream blushes I love Bobbi Brown’s Pot blushes and Cle de Peau.
I’ve had positive blush experiences with The Balm, Tarte, Bare Minerals, and Colourpop. I do love those Super Shock blushes! I have a pale pink powder blush from CP’s Disney Princess collection, Belle is on the packaging with her yellow dress. That blush is nicely pigmented for my fair skin and the color stays fresh all day. I also really like the Bare Minerals Gen Nude blushes.
Colour Pop Enchanted Mirror! I know bc I was just regretting yesterday that I wasn’t able to pick it up: I was just looking at the Colourpop website and a lot of their stuff is out of stock. I hope it’ll be available soon.