The Best Blushes, According to Pro Makeup Artists
March 3 | 3 minute read
Words by The MECCA Memo
Originally published on March 16
However, with celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande becoming poster girls for the blush blindness movement, social media seems to be crushing on blush.
As any MUA will tell you, the right cheek colour will add the kind of vitality and glow that a bronzer or highlighter just can't, and there are so many formulas ready to work hard for any skin type or occasion.
Whether you’re more into a blurring blush or a radiant flush, these are the very best, according to the pros…
Best Multi-Purpose Formula
Designed to be used on cheeks, lips and lids, the highly blendable blush glides onto skin and melts effortlessly, leaving behind a gorgeous wash of colour.
When it comes to selecting which of the eight shades to try, Gucci advises us to, “Match it to your mood and the statement you want to make…blush is like an accessory.”
Best Makeup-Skincare Hybrid
Kosas Blush is Life Baked Dimensional and Brightening Blush
The unique baked formula starts out as a mousse-like texture according to founder Sheena Zadeh: “Which means we can actually add skincare actives directly into the formula,”. That’s how hydrating squalene and hyaluronic acid make their way onto the ingredients list.
If you look carefully at these talc-free shades to see two different tones baked directly into the formula, resulting in a long-wearing blush that adds the perfect amount of colour and dimension.
Best For The Blush Curious
MECCA MAX Off Duty Blush Stick
Looking for the easiest blush of all? Look no further. The creamy formula starts off as a flush, perfect for those just wanting a hint of colour in the cheeks.
However, MECCA Makeup Education Lead Sally Axford tells us that these poppy sticks are very buildable, gliding on effortlessly and giving you plenty of time to blend before they dry down to satin finish. Available in six shades, you’ll soon want one in every colour.
Described as an enduring classic, François Nars put blush on the map when he created the forever iconic ‘Orgasm’ blush in 1999.
Described by Sally as: “The perfect mix of pink, peach and gold,” this shade is universally flattering, looking great for any and every occasion. Now, the legendary blush has been reformulated alongside the 20 other shades in the range. This powder blush still has the blurring texture and buildable intensity that made them artistry staples, but now this flush lasts up to 16 hours.
Best For Sensitive Skin
Tower 28 BeachPlease Lip + Cheek Cream Blush
One swipe of this buildable balm and your cheeks will be left with a radiant, second-skin, ‘I've been skipping around on the beach all day’ finish.
Formulated with stressed out skin in mind, this blush contains hydrating aloe vera and calming green tea extract. Plus, each shade is named after a different time of day! According to Tower 28 founder Amy Liu, ‘Magic Hour’ is her personal favourite shade for an everyday wash of colour.
Best For On The Go
Violette_FR Bisou Blush
Chic, effortless and inspired by Renaissance paintings, these matte cream blushes are quintessentially French.
Each stick has two colours (one sheer, one deeper) which MECCA Makeup Education Manager, Hannah Daniels says: “Give this beautiful sort of marbled quality to the product. It also has this really incredible blurring effect when applied to the skin, not a flat matte look but somehow it just makes the cheek look airbrushed,”
Plus, it has a custom-created brush on the other end (that you can remove to clean), making it perfect to throw into your bag if you need to blush in a rush.
Best Glow Giver
RMS beauty ReDimension Hydra Powder Blush
A radiant blush that combines the longevity of a powder with the glow of a cream, RMS beauty’s Hydra Powder formula is the hidden gem of the MECCA shop floor.
“It’s the kind of blush that you pick up and you almost don't want to put on because it just looks so beautiful.” Hannah explains.
Containing a sugar-derived wet powder technology, it’s pigmented while still giving cheeks a long lasting, multidimensional glow that lets you skip highlighter.
