Be it a gentle halo of pink, a vibrant pop of coral, or a foolproof peachy hue, choosing one of the best blushes is guaranteed to elevate your makeup in the most effortless way possible. “Blush should give your face a healthy touch, like you’ve got a lot of oxygen in your skin,” says professional MUA Gucci Westman, whose client list includes Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lawrence and Cameron Diaz.
With summer just around the corner, now feels like the perfect time to invest in gorgeously glowy makeup products that’ll have us all glistening in the golden hour sunshine. But where to begin with your shopping quest?
From liquid blushes to powder blushes and cream blushes , there’s something to suit everybody’s preference. And each of those iterations have their own benefits, too. Take liquid blush, for example. It melts seamlessly into the skin without looking matte and cakey – but it is easy to over-do it. Elsewhere, a cream blush can be more versatile and great for adding colour to your lips and eyelids as well as your cheeks – but the pigment may not be so strong.
Enter, our guide to the best blushers of TikTok fame. We’ve put together a roundup of the very best blushers of all time, including some of our tried-and-true faves. TBH, a quick scroll through #BeautyTok (and our edit) will tell you that brands like Rare Beauty, Rhode and Charlotte Tilbury are still the ones dominating the burgeoning world of blusher – but there are some fun new players to get excited about, too.
Here’s everything you need to know.
SKIP TO: Our full reviews | How we test blushers | How to apply blusher | How are cream, liquid and powder blushers different? | How do I find the right blusher for my skin tone?
Meet the experts:
How we test blushers:
When deciding which blushers deserved a spot in this edit, we scrutinised the formulas based on the level of pigment they provided, how easy they were to blend, and how long they stayed looking fresh on the skin once applied. We were also keen to make sure that we only included blushers that offered a wide range of shades to suit all skin tones.
Other notable factors? Whether the formula was cruelty-free or vegan, whether the packaging was recyclable, and how easy they were to travel with. The results are in.
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Products displayed on the shelves courtesy of Oliver Bonas and Assouline.
How to apply a blush:
Traditional wisdom led us to believe that blush should never stray from just the apples of the cheeks. That said, a more modern way to wear blush is higher on the cheeks with a horizontal sweep of the brush “for a lifting effect,” says Gucci.
“If you have a bit of darkness under your eye it’s also helpful to bring your blush a little higher,” she adds, as it can help to cancel out the grey blue tones. Or to create a sun-kissed look, you can even take your blush down the bridge of your nose, Gucci notes.
What you use in order to apply your beauty product often depends on the type of blush you’re using as well as your personal preference. For example, powder blushes are best paired with makeup brushes, while you can apply most cream blushes by dabbing the product with just your fingers or a makeup sponge.
However, Gucci also notes that the size matters when applying any type of blush with a makeup brush. “You lose control with a giant fluffy brush, whereas a small brush allows you to be more targeted and to buff and blend.”
