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Blush – once known as rouge – has been a staple in beauty routines far longer than modern essentials like bronzer and concealer. Its origins trace back to around 3000 BCE in ancient Egypt, where natural red clays were used to bring warmth and colour to the cheeks. While the tools and formulas have evolved since the age of hieroglyphics and sarcophagi, the desire to recreate a soft, natural flush remains just as timeless in 2026.
According to runway, editorial and celebrity make-up artist Florrie White (whose work you’ll have spotted on the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway), a good blush will “recreate a glow in the cheeks which naturally occurs when you are healthy, happy and/or exited by emotion or good fun and exertion”.
For most of us, the difficulty with blush comes down to finding a shade to suit your skin tone, a consistency – be it cream, stick, liquid or powder – that complements your skin type and a price point that reflects your income. As such, I called on a trio of expert testers to lend a hand as we pulled together enough high-performance formulas to flatter every complexion and fit every budget. Here’s how we got on.
Read more: We tried Chanel’s les beiges cream bronzer on three women
The best blushes for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Patrick Ta major headlines double-take cream and powder blush duo: £37, Cultbeauty.co.uk
- Best budget – L'Oreal Paris lumi le liquid blush: £11.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best cream blush – Westman Atelier baby cheeks blush stick: £44, Spacenk.com
- Best powder blush – YSL make me blush powder: £33, Johnlewis.com
- Best blush for dry skin – Makeup by Mario soft pop plumping blush veil: £29.90, Sephora.co.uk
Read more: 10 best cream blushes for a natural and long-lasting flush
Patrick Ta major headlines double-take cream and powder blush duo
Best: blush overall
Type: Power and balm
Shades: 20
Finish: Satin, natural
Vegan and cruelty-free: Cruelty-free and part vegan (select shades contain carmine, which is derived from animals)
Why we love it
- Good value with two full-size blushes for less than £20 each
- Cream blends out easily without sinking into pores
- Powder is impressively pigmented (even in lighter shades)
Take note
- Powder requires a steady hand to avoid overdoing it
Patrick Ta’s double-take blush duo is not only beautiful in the compact, but delivers a flush so perfect, you’d expect to see it on the Victoria’s Secret runway. I used the palette in a hurry in the first instance, but didn’t struggle to give my cheeks a diffused pop of colour despite the time crunch. After using my fingertips to tap the balm blush onto my cheeks, I then used a medium-sized brush to blur out the colour. As with all cream blushes, this pigment died down somewhat once I applied my setting powder, but that’s the beauty of the duo palette. The powder blush can revive the balm formula beneath and give the cheeks a true ‘just-pinched’ warmth. You’ll want to be sparing with the powder blush though; I tested one of the lighter shades – ‘Not too much’ – and still risked overdoing with minimal swipes.
– Lucy Smith
You get a lot of bang for your buck with this palette from the renowned make-up artist, containing both a powder and a complementary cream formula. And I’m all for it, as not only can you create more natural looks, but bolder too, including Patrick’s signature technique of layering the cream onto the powder for a bolder rush of colour that really lasts the day without streaking, going patchy or drifting into lines. I’m impressed!
Rating: 5/5
– Sabine Wiesel
As someone with combination skin, I usually like to lock in my cream blush with a powder over the top, so I was pleased to see both included in the Patrick Ta palette. ‘She’s blushing’ is a gorgeous warm colour that forgoes my need for bronzer and highlighter, and very little is needed with both formulas packing a punch. The colour barely fades throughout the day, so it’s the perfect choice if you’re after a long-lasting blush.
Rating: 5/5
– Sabrina Sahota
Whenever I want an instant glow on my cheeks, I reach for one of my many shades of this Patrick Ta blush. ‘She knows who she is’ is a unique, matte-rich mocha shade which gives all complexions a sun-kissed, luminous glow that I just can’t get enough of. One of my favourite ways to make the most of this blush is to use make-up artist and Patrick Ta Beauty founder Patrick Ta’s application method.
I attended a masterclass back in November in NYC with Mikayla Nogueira and Patrick Ta, where he said: “My technique of cream over powder became my technique because I always applied my powder first as that’s what I was most comfortable with and then I only ever applied the cream after and then I found that whenever I would layer the cream product on top, it would melt everything into the skin and allow it to look a little bit more like skin.” I’ve been using this method ever since, and it somehow makes the skin look even more radiant and skin-like, just as Patrick said.
Rating: 5/5
– Vanese Maddix
Buy now £37, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Rhode pocket blush
Best: blush stick
Type: Cream
Shades: 11
Finish: Satin, dewy
Vegan and cruelty-free: Yes, both
Why we love it
- Can be applied with fingers
- Hydrating
- Natural finish
Take note
- Can eek into pores
- Fades as hours pass
Given the frenzy that followed Rhode’s pocket blush launch in 2024, my expectations for Hailey Bieber’s formula were high. Immediately, I could see what the hype was about as I dabbed the moisturising, peptide-infused cream onto my skin. In the shade ‘Piggy’, the blush makes a great entry point for make-up newbies and those more fond of a subtle finish. It was easy enough to diffuse the colour outwards for a more natural flush or – as I did – build the pigment up in a few layers. After setting with powder, the pigment softened more than I’d have liked, though I was impressed that it layered smoothly on top of the powder without pilling when I reapplied. Even better, the finish was seamless and gave my cheeks a youthful fullness.
As someone with oily skin, this blush didn’t wear especially well as the hours passed. Though I will say, I usually layer a powder blush on top of a cream formula, which I skipped for the purpose of this test. If using the cream on its own, I think I’d opt for a darker shade for better longevity.
Rating: 4/5
- LS
This is the blush to reach for if you’re apprehensive about applying or it looking over the top, because it’s so sheer and blendable with fingers alone – you really can’t get it wrong. I’ve heard ‘Piggy’ is Hailey Bieber’s daily go-to, and I can see why, as the baby pink leaves me naturally fresh-faced, while still looking smooth and feeling comfortable if I build the colour up. My only disappointment is that, like many creams, it doesn’t last the day, but it makes up for it with packaging made for on-the-go application.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SW
If you’ve got a warm skin tone and are looking for a sun-kissed glow, you can’t go wrong with the Rhode pocket blush in ‘Sprinkle’. The cream formula is a dream to apply and the colour is easy to build without looking overpowering. The colour stuck around after a few hours, which I find is rare with cream blushes unless I apply a powder over the top. When it came to application, I found it easier to pat the cream blush stick with a brush and then apply, rather than swipe it straight onto my cheeks.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SS
No makeup look is complete for me without a Rhode pocket blush. The much-sought-after shade ‘Toasted teddy’ has become a staple in my routine. It’s a bronzy terracotta that applies effortlessly to the cheeks. You can wear it alone for subtle warmth or build it up for a more standout pop of colour, which is how I love to wear it. Plus, it suits all skin tones (including my deeper skin tone) and leaves a natural-looking, hydrating glow. I own several shades, and they’re genuinely worth the hype.
Rating: 5/5
– VM
Buy now £25, Sephora.co.uk
Dior backstage rosy glow blush
Best: luxury blush
Type: Powder
Shades: 7
Finish: Soft-matte
Vegan and cruelty-free: No
Why we love it
- Highly pigmented
- Seamless blend
- Doesn’t sit in pores
Take note
- Easy to overdo it
The Dior backstage blush isn’t one of those products that’s all packaging and no pigment. On the contrary, I was shocked by the intense colour payoff from my chosen shade, ‘Rosewood’. Make-up beginners will want to go easy on the application, practising patience as they blend out the intense pigment. Thankfully, it’s easy to diffuse the colour outwards and I was left with a pop of cherry pink on both cheeks, much like when I’ve been out in the cold.
While the finish skews slightly more glamorous than natural, there’s no shimmer, so it’s easy to wear on the daily. On my oily skin, I saw no more shine than usual and the colour stayed put remarkably well, without sliding down my cheeks or disappearing entirely. As much as the packaging isn’t this formula’s key draw, it certainly helps. I’ll be proudly displaying mine on my dressing table for the foreseeable.
Rating: 5/5
- LS
Most powder blushes tend to be a little unforgiving on my 40-something skin texture, but not the Dior backstage powder blush – it’s in a league of its own. The pearly pigments are super-fine and silky, so it takes seconds to seamlessly apply and blend; you really can’t go wrong if you use a big, fluffy brush to blend. Best of all, the colour stays put all day without accentuating any dryness. Plus, I feel safe knowing it’s a pH-activated colour, so that I won’t end up looking like I’ve stepped out of the 80s (a beauty trend I’d like to leave way behind in my childhood).
Rating: 5/5
– SW
Dior’s backstage blush is a viral product I was excited to get my hands on, but unfortunately it just didn’t live up to the hype for me. The colour is beautifully striking in the pan but when I applied it to my skin, I just didn’t get the colour pay off I was hoping for. The best blushes I tested gave a beautiful wash of colour in just a few swipes, but I was really having to work to get pigment on my cheeks with it. The finish was subtle, but needs amping up with some hydrating skincare underneath if you like a dewy finish.
Rating: 3/5
– SS
I tried this Dior blush before its current reformulation, and I have to say it definitely takes a few more swipes to build up, but it’s also way more pigmented. It adds a natural-looking flush to the cheeks and feels lightweight on the skin. The packaging is also more square, making it easier to pick up the product with your brush. I also tried the shade ‘Cherry’, which looked just as complementary on my deeper skin tone. The reformulated blush is definitely worthy of a splurge.
Rating: 4.5/5
– VM
Buy now £35, Johnlewis.com
Westman Atelier baby cheeks blush stick
Best: cream blush
Type: Cream
Shades: 8
Finish: Satin, sheer
Vegan and cruelty-free: Cruelty-free and partially vegan (shades chouchette and bichette are not vegan)
Why we love it
- Easy to blend, either with fingers or a make-up brush
- Stick lasts a long time
- Natural selection of shades
Take note
- Expensive
I’ve been using the Westman Atelier cream blush stick for more than a year, and I’m consistently impressed with each use. It’s highly pigmented, easy to blend and lasts well through the day.
Crucially, this formula applies well on top of powder products, which can’t be said of most cream blushes. It also means you can build the pigment with a layer when applying foundation before sweeping on a further layer after you’ve applied your setting powder, bronzer etc. As someone with oily skin, it’s rare to find a cream formula that doesn’t grow patchy as the hours pass, but this one is up to the task.
For the ultimate sunkissed glow, I like to tap the blush lightly across my forehead, nose and chin. The effect is subtle, but my skin (using shade ‘Chouchette’) appeared healthily flushed afterwards – without sun damage.
Rating: 5/5
- LS
This is everything a great blush for mature skin should be: it’s super hydrating, effortless to apply with fingers, impossible to overdo and lasts all day without migrating into lines or looking patchy. Part of why it performs so well on my skin is that it's boosted with skincare, not only nourishing my cheeks but allowing the formula to melt into my skin. The colour payoff sits more on the natural side, like the flush of colour I once had in my youth, but with a dewy finish that makes my complexion look much healthier.
Rating: 5/5
– SW
At an eye-watering £44, I didn’t want to love this blush as much as I did. The formula is quite creamy so it took a bit of experimenting with application, but I found that patting it on with fingers and blending with a brush worked a treat. I loved its velvety soft finish that blended seamlessly with the rest of my make-up, without accentuating any pores or blemishes. Despite not layering a powder over the top, my cheeks still had a glowy, natural flush by the end of the day.
Rating: 5/5
– SS
This blush continues to be in my weekly rotation. Westman Atelier have created the perfect blush for adding a flush of colour to the cheeks. As someone with a normal-to-dry skin type, the formula feels lightweight and hydrating on the cheeks, almost as if I have nothing on. My only qualm is the packaging: on first use, my blush fell out when I twisted it up. Although I managed to catch it and pop it back in, the blush stick now looks quite messy, and I have to be extremely careful when using it.
Rating: 5/5
– VM
Buy now £44, Spacenk.com
YSL make me blush powder
Best: powder blush
Type: Power
Shades: 12
Finish: Satin, luminescent
Vegan and cruelty-free: No
Why we love it
- Beautiful packaging
- Lasting colour
Take note
- Note all shades are skin tone inclusive
Famously worn by Hailey Bieber (in the very shade I tested: ‘Babydoll pink’), Yves Saint Laurent’s make me blush powder is the embodiment of cool girl coquette. Thankfully, it’s not just a pretty compact. The formula delivers a fresh, youthful warmth that reads more bashful than hot and flustered, and it glides on with a silky, almost creamy smoothness that melts into the skin.
That said, there’s a caveat. The inclusion of titanium dioxide means there’s potential for flashback in photos. On my fair skin, I noticed a faint white cast under certain lighting, which raises concerns about how it might translate on deeper tones (as Vanese points out below). In 2026, it feels disappointing to see a non-inclusive ingredient choice in an otherwise excellent formula. The staying power is impressive – it doesn’t budge, separate or cling to pores or dry patches – but a thoughtful tweak to the formulation would make this a true five-star blush for everyone.
Rating: 4.5/5
– LS
Everything about this viral blush screamed I’m going to be great for mature skin before I put it to the test, and I’m glad it proved me right. It’s infused with nourishing skincare, so it sits comfortably on dry skin types like mine; it blurs the look of imperfections rather than emphasising lines and pores, and it's even waterproof, which means it’s really budge-proof – even seeing me through a midday workout without streaking. And I know it’s a superficial point, but would you LOOK at that packaging!
Rating: 4.5/5
– SW
This powder blush certainly lives up to its name, applying as a fun, bright pink pop of colour on the cheeks. It doesn’t apply too heavy, so is fairly easy to build and the final result is a seamless wash of colour with no signs of chalkiness or enhanced pores. As the day went on and my skin became slightly oilier, the colour faded down slightly but I was still left with a lovely pink-ish glow. Bonus points for the super-luxe gold packaging, too.
Rating: 4/5
– SS
I really like this blush, as it’s buildable and blurring in a way I haven’t seen from other brands. I liked how easy it was to build up ‘Berry bang’, and how weightless it felt. However, I did find it had a slight powdery white cast when applied to my deeper skin tone. While this is usually make-or-break for me in a blush, I strangely didn’t hate it. Perhaps it’s because it still provides a good colour payoff. I’d love to see a reformulation at some point to address this, as it would make it more inclusive for all skin tones.
Rating: 4.5/5
– VM
Buy now £44, Johnlewis.com
Nars powder blush
Best: blush for oily skin
Type: Power
Shades: 26
Finish: Shade dependant – some mattes, some shimmers
Vegan and cruelty-free: Vegan but not cruelty-free
Why we love it
- Beginner-friendly formula, easy to build up slowly
- Recently reformulated to be talc-free and more skin tone inclusive
- Long lasting
Take note
- Shimmer in select shades can draw attention to fine lines and wrinkles
I first fell for Nars’ powder blush in the mid-2010s and, even after its 2024 reformulation, it hasn’t left my make-up bag. Simply put, it’s hard to fault. Whether you favour a whisper of pink or a full va-va-voom sweep of colour, the pigment is easy to build up to your desired intensity.
I’ve long worn the iconic ‘Orgasm’ shade, but for this review I switched to ‘Deep throat’ which is a softer, dusky rose compared to the former’s bright peach. On my fair skin, it created a convincing, cold-weather flush. And, with 26 shades in the line-up, there’s likely a tone to mimic most natural cheek colours. I also want to draw attention to the Nars powder blush’s staying power. Even without layering it over cream blush (as I usually would), it lasted from morning to night. No patchiness, no sinking into pores. Proof, perhaps, that some things never go out of style.
Rating: 5/5
– LS
It’s the most iconic blush out there, so it’s fair to say my make-up bag has seen a fair few Nars powder blushes. It really is as good as its reputation: easy to blend, silky-textured and long-lasting. The most iconic shade ‘Orgasm’ is a peachy-pink balance with a golden shimmer that’s said to suit everyone; I can confirm even mature skin, as the shimmer is very subtle, so it doesn’t settle in lines. My only qualm is the colour payoff is so on point you have to apply with a light hand for the most natural result.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SW
I find that powder blushes can often apply chalky, so I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth Nars’s applied. In just a few swipes it left a velvety wash of rosey-pink on my cheeks, with an excellent colour pay off that doesn’t require a cream blush underneath. The colour very much stuck around as the day went on, without any reapplications needed, but it still let some of my natural glow through.
Rating: 5/5
– SS
Nars blushes have always, and will always be, a make-up bag staple. Each shade is truly iconic and adds a bold pop of colour to the cheeks. For me, ‘Orgasm rush’ is a great shimmery rose bronze that glistens when the light hits. I personally prefer to wear it as a blush topper, or over the top of another blush, as the shimmer almost outweighs the pigment, but that won’t stop me from reaching for it.
Rating: 4/5
– VM
Buy now £35.5, Boots.com
L'Oreal Paris lumi le liquid blush
Best: budget blush
Type: Liquid
Shade: 6
Finish: Glowy with shimmer
Vegan and cruelty-free: Not cruelty-free but vegan-friendly ingredients
Why we love it
- Works as part of a full face or a minimal make-up look
- Requires only a tiny amount
- Natural, skin-like finish
Take note
- Can sink into pores
L’Oreal’s liquid formula melds together with other cream products well and, unusually for a liquid blush, it still shows through after applying setting powder, meaning you won’t need to double up with a powder blush later. One tiny tap carries a hefty amount of pigment and the doe-foot allows for a more controlled application.
The shade I tested – 635 ‘Glowy worth it’ – gave a similar windswept flush to Chanel’s lip and cheek balm (the very product used on Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights), though I found this performed even better. In fact, none of us were a fan of Chanel’s variety, so it didn’t make the final cut. It also works beautifully on bare skin and, while it can settle slightly into pores, it’s rare to find a cream blush that doesn’t to some extent – Patrick Ta, above, is the only exception. By around 5pm I was ready for a small top-up, but for a blush applied before 6am, the staying power was impressive.
Rating: 5/5
– LS
This looks more like a blush-highlighter hybrid than a liquid blush, so I really thought it was going to age me by picking up on my imperfections rather than giving me the youthful flush a blush is meant to. But because the formula has no sit-in-lines-glitter, it does nothing of the sort. The pink-golden fusion not only gives me the rosy cheeks of youth but also bounces the light for a true lit-from-within radiance. You still have to apply sparingly to get a natural effect, and it won’t last the day, so top-ups are required.
Rating: 4/5
– SW
If you’re looking for a sheer blush that’s easy to build, this is a fantastic high street option from L’oreal. On minimal make-up days, you can blend in a few dots on each cheek for a natural wash of colour. If you want a strong colour, it’s easy to apply more and build it up. After a few hours, some of the pigment on my cheeks has worn off, so if you have oily skin you may want to apply more than usual for a long-lasting finish.
Rating: 4/5
– SS
L’Oréal knows how to make a blush that’s not only budget-friendly but rivals higher-priced brands. If “a little goes a long way” were a blush, it would be this one. It’s one of the most pigmented blush formulas I’ve tried in a long time, and it applies beautifully onto the skin. It’s super long-lasting, staying on the cheeks from morning to night without budging, and the shade is truly one of the creamiest reds on the market without ever looking too much.
Rating: 5/5
– VM
Buy now £11.99, Amazon.co.uk
Chanel joues contraste powder blush
Best: travel blush
Type: Powder
Shades: 11
Finish: Shade dependent – some shimmer, some satin, some matte
Vegan and cruelty-free: No, neither
Why we love it
- Prestige compact with included mirror and travel brush
- Variety of shimmer and matte shades to suit various skin ages
- Flattering, youthful finish
- Easy to control concentration of pigment
Take note
- Expensive
- Included brush is arguably too small for first-time application
I always have space in my handbag for Chanel make-up, largely because of its packaging. The finish of this blush sits somewhere between a soft wash of colour and a gentle pop, and in the shade ‘Quintessence’ it gave my cheeks a youthful, naturally pink tint. It can apply a little patchy at first, but buffs out easily with a few circular motions, blending into a more seamless veil of colour. In the same vein, it’s easy to diffuse across the cheekbones for a lifted, soft-focus effect, but harder to place with precision in smaller areas, as the initial blending step is essential.
Once in place, the pigment holds up well, though it does begin to emphasise skin texture as the hours pass. While I can’t say with certainty, I’d imagine this would be even more noticeable in the shimmery shades.
Rating: 4.5/5
– LS
Chanel powder blush really gets my 43-year-old skin. It doesn’t highlight any lines or texture because it’s made up of micro-fine, silky powders that feel weightless on the skin. This layer-able soft pink can look sheer with a quick sweep, or more intense with a few more dustings, taking you from day to evening quickly. Either way, the wake-up to the face oozes a youthful radiance thanks to a hint of gold shimmer that’s also infused.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SW
Nothing says luxury like a Chanel compact, and this blush from the fashion house truly lives up to its iconic status. The powder formula is easy to apply with no patchiness whatsoever, just go slow as there’s plenty of pigment. If you like a dewy finish and have very dry skin, you may want to layer a cream formula underneath but this isn’t a necessity. ‘Foschia rose’ is a vibrant pink that looks intimidating, but applies as a beautiful pop of colour that’s perfect for summer.
Rating: 4/5
– SS
Sometimes I love nothing more than adding a subtle, shimmery flush to the cheeks, and that’s exactly what I got from ‘Malice’, a shade from Chanel’s joues contraste powder blush. It has a super-unique, silky powder texture. While the luminous pink pigment didn’t show up that well on my deeper complexion, the golden shimmer flecks were the highlight for me, especially when the sun hit my cheeks. While I have to deduct some points for pigment, the shimmer makes it the perfect companion to wear underneath or on top of another blush for effortless radiance.
Rating: 3.5/5
– VM
Buy now £46, Boots.com
Fenty Beauty cheeks out freestyle cream blush
Best: natural blush
Type: Cream
Shades: 15
Finish: Natural, sheer
Vegan and cruelty-free: Cruelty-free and select shades vegan (only big melons, peach face, pinky promise, raisin standardz and Riri aren’t)
Why we love it
- Small compact, ideal for travelling light
- Easy to control heaviness of application
- Doesn’t highlight pores
Take note
- Very sheer
I found Fenty’s cheeks out blush to have more of a soft-focus, natural colour than a high-impact pigment. The cream melts into skin easily without dragging, and while it looks best applied with fingers first to warm and spread the product, I found a firmer, coarse-haired brush helped to press it into the skin for a more seamless finish. It sits comfortably on top of foundation without shifting and, reassuringly, doesn’t settle into pores, though it can slightly emphasise skin texture on closer inspection. In my shade – ‘Riri’ – the finish was very light and almost more of a whispering of colour on the cheeks. It’s too sheer to hold its own through a layer of powder, but it looks beautiful alongside other cream products or as part of a minimal, skin-first make-up.
Rating: 4.5
- LS
Picking a suitable shade for my fair, mature complexion from the range of vibrant blushes was a little intimidating, but I needn’t have been put-off as I didn’t release how beautifully sheer they are. For everyday wear, a light touch leaves behind a wash of glowing colour, but you can easily layer more if you prefer a more flushed look; I got the most flattering results using a densely packed brush. Unfortunately, there is a slight fade throughout the day, but there’s a handy mirror inside to help with reapplying.
Rating: 4/5
- SW
I don’t often reach for cool-toned blushes, with a worry that they’ll wash out my warm skin tone. However ‘Cool berry’ provides the perfect natural flush that’s easy to build without looking too strong, and it wears beautifully throughout the day. The versatile cream formula can be effortlessly blended with a brush or patted in with fingers without disrupting your make-up underneath. After a few hours of wear, the pigment had toned down but there was no patchiness (you can layer a powder over the top if you want it to last).
Rating: 4.5/5
- SS
I don’t often apply blush with my hands, but it felt so right with this Fenty Beauty blush, partly because the packaging is a lot smaller than I’m used to, and partly because the formula instantly melts into the skin, which a brush can sometimes take away from. ‘Raisin standardz’ is the perfect everyday blackberry-purple shade and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling on the skin. This blush adds so much pigment, with a little going a long way. Rihanna was onto something with this one.
Rating: 4/5
- VM
Buy now £22, Lookfantastic.com
Glossier cloud paint blush
Best: liquid blush
Type: Liquid
Shades: 11
Finish: Dewy, natural
Vegan and cruelty-free: Cruelty-free but not vegan
Why we love it
- A little goes an incredibly long way (one tube lasts a lifetime)
- Formula uses collagen to minimise appearance of pores and texture
- Easy to apply with fingertips
Take note
- Select shades lose all visible pigment during blending
Glossier’s cloud paint blush is a much-loved formula and has quite the fanbase. Unfortunately, while other testers had better results, I wasn’t convinced of founder Emily Weiss’ cult product. In the shade ‘Puff’, it simply blended into my skin as I worked it in, and even after applying several layers it appeared as though my cheeks were bare. The pigment developed slightly as the hours wore on, but not enough to rival competitors. That said, the feel of the formula is lovely. Application with fingertips is easy and intuitive, and it left my skin (pigment aside) looking smooth, fresh and plump.
Rating: 3/5
– LS
This light, cool shade has been in my make-up bag for years, because, as Glossier say, it’s like my skin made it, and I couldn’t agree more. Sitting somewhere between a cream and a liquid blush, the fuss-free, easy-to-apply formula is sheer and made for building with your fingers. You need to use the tiniest amount for it to impart a satin-matte tint that has such a second-skin finish that it doesn’t emphasise any texture, be it pores, lines or dryness.
Rating: 5/5
– SW
Glossier’s cloud paint in ‘Beam’ has been a staple in my make-up bag for years. It’s a formula I reach for when I’m having a minimal make-up day but still want a flush of colour on the cheeks. Unlike most blushes I’ve tested that require blending with a brush, this is best patted with your fingers for a natural glow. With the smallest dot needed for a decent colour pay-off, a tube should last you plenty of time, too.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SS
This is another blush I’ve gone through many tubes of and have been wearing for years. It’s such a staple in my make-up bag, and in so many other people’s I know, because it adds an easy, natural pop of colour to the cheeks and comes in an inclusive shade range, with your usual go-to shades as well as more fun ones. I’ve also been loving cloud paint plush blush, the powder version with adjacent shades. I personally find the latter more pigmented and prefer the soft-matte finish, but you’ll always be able to find both versions on me.
Rating: 4.5/5
– VM
Buy now £24, Sephora.co.uk
Makeup by Mario soft pop plumping blush veil
Best: blush for dry skin
Type: Liquid
Shades: 10
Finish: Dewy, radiant
Vegan and cruelty-free: Yes, both
Why we love it
- Skin-loving formula with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, rice and nourishing oils
- Seamless, fool-proof blend into skin and surrounding make-up
- Doesn't drag
Take note
- No mirror in compact
- Colour payoff minimal in select shades
The soft pop plumping blush falls very much in-line with the brand’s complexion philosophy: less overt colour, more subtle enhancement. In the shade ‘Barely blushing’, the blush gave my cheeks a touch more warmth than the surrounding skin, rather than what I’d call a true flush. Personally, I’d opt for a deeper shade next time. Still, the Kardashian-approved MUA has cracked the formula when it comes to consistency. The cream feels cushiony and comfortable, and glided over my skin without dragging or disturbing the make-up beneath. I wanted more colour payoff, but in terms of texture and ease, this was a joy to apply.
Rating: 4/5
– LS
From a soft-focused sheer wash of colour to a livelier pop, what I love about this blush is how customisable it really is, always leading to a glowing result. Its balmy texture is like no other, infused with hyaluronic acid, it’s both hydrating and weightless: ideal for mature skin like mine. Easy to apply with fingers or a brush alike, it doesn’t streak or dry out cheeks, but if you want to fake the glow all day, you will need to reapply.
Rating: 4.5/5
– SW
Make up by Mario’s cream blush has a natural finish and applies effortlessly with a brush, without leaving any harsh lines. As someone who has combination skin, it's much easier to apply at the start of the day when my skin is on the drier side. If I’m topping up my make-up later in the day and some of my natural shine has come through, I find the colour pay off isn’t as strong.
Rating 4/5
– SS
I’ve been using Makeup By Mario’s soft pop plumping blush veil in ‘Berry punch’ since it first launched in 2023, and each use just gets better and better. Whenever I’m in a rush and want to reach for a fail-safe blush, this is one of my favourites. It adds a creamy, sheer pop of colour to the cheeks that lasts for hours. Whether worn alone or on top of other makeup products, it doesn’t separate and melts beautifully into the skin.
Rating: 5/5
– VM
Buy now £29.9, Sephora.co.uk
Your questions about blusher answered
What is the best blush?
After testing powders, creams, liquids and stick formulas across a range of skin types and tones, Patrick Ta’s major headlines double-take cream and powder blush duo proved the overall winner with its perfect balance of pigment, longevity and versatility. For a more affordable option, L'Oréal Paris’s lumi le liquid blush impressed with its excellent colour pay-off and sophisticated, moveable consistency. Meanwhile, Westman Atelier’s baby cheeks blush remains a hard to beat – albeit expensive – pick for cream-blush devotees. Of course, the best blush for you will vary depending on , but the strongest performers here all shared one thing: they looked convincingly natural, wore beautifully and brought life to our faces without ever looking cakey or doll-like.
How we tested
Blush is one of those products that can appear a perfect shade match when you’re looking at a swatch, but translates entirely differently once layered onto real skin. As such, I tested these formulas on my own skin, atop foundations and through long, hot days over the course of three months to get a truer picture of their performance.
Alongside my own trials, I called on expert reviewers with varied complexions, as well as a more mature-skinned tester, to understand how the blushes behaved on each of us. From luxury powder compacts to viral cream formulas, the aim was to find the formulas you’ll want to reach for again and again. Here’s everything we considered:
How to choose the right blush shade for your skin tone
“Simply, the warmer the tone of your skin, the deeper warmth the shade of blush,” reveals White. She continues: “A light tone blush can look ashy on darker skin, while a very deep tone on pale skin may look like a fever, unless you’re making an ‘80s or ‘punk-ish’ statement.” She caveats that all skin tones can play about with different shades, but recommends choosing the right depth of the tone to suit your complexion.
What’s the difference between cream and powder blush?
“Cream blush creates a more dewy glow compared to the more opaque finish of a powder,” describes White. Though, she points out that advances in modern make-up means that a very finely milled powder can mimic the character of a cream and also be dewy. She adds: “Cream blushes now also have more staying power than before.”
Other factors to consider include your skin type (dryer complexions will naturally prefer cream formulas, while oilier types tend to look to powder ones) and how you’d like to apply the product. “They both can be applied with brushes,” she says, “yet only a cream blush can really be applied with fingers.”
What is the most flattering blush colour?
While White admits it’s hard to pinpoint a favourite, she feels that “the whole spectrum of orange, from soft apricot to deep bright orange, is flattering on both the very palest of skin and the deepest darkest of skin tones. It add a warmth and a healthy glow as if from the sun in golden hour.”
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Lucy Smith joined IndyBest in 2024 and, as a senior shopping writer, she spends her time testing all manner of affordable, mid-range and premium beauty products. Not only has she already reviewed the ying to a blush’s yang – the best bronzers – but, since joining the team, she’s scouted out a Rare Beauty blush dupe and covered the launch of Summer Fridays’ first blush to date. As such, she’s well versed on the brands to note and the industry standard for an inclusive, high performing formula.
As IndyBest’s deputy editor, Sabrina Sahota is always lending her product reviewing expertise and has contributed to a number of beauty write-ups, from Maybelline’s tubing mascara to the 2025 Harvey Nichols advent calendar. Not to mention she can often be seen at industry launch events, where she keeps atop the latest and greatest releases across cosmetics and lifestyle.
Vanese Maddix has been reviewing products for IndyBest since 2024, covering a plethora of beauty, including the best concealers and Made by Mitchell’s full range.
A long-time reviewer for IndyBest, Sabine Wiesel is no stranger to the best beauty buys and specialises in recommendations for more mature skin types. Specifically, she’s tested the best bronzers for mature skin and the best concealers for mature skin – to name but a few of the products that have fallen under her scrutinising eye.
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