The 15 best cream blushers for the perfect flushed look, from £9
Perfectly rosy cheeks shall be yours – here’s what to buy and how to apply
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There’s nothing like a quick dab of cream blusher on your cheeks to make you look fresh and perky.
“Cream blusher doesn’t just add a flush of colour to your complexion, but it also can add another texture to your face, which is really important to give your skin some moments of high and low,” says celebrity makeup artist Lisa Laudat who has blushed the faces of celebrities such as Demi Moore, Rita Ora and Ellie Goulding.
What does she mean exactly by that? “Once you’ve done your skincare and applied foundation, your skin can look a little flat and one-dimensional, especially if you’re using a matte foundation,” she says. “In reality, nobody’s face is the same tone all over, so by adding cream blusher, which tends to leave a bit of sheen or gloss to the skin, you are putting some shape and structure back in.”
Why choose a cream blusher over a powder one? It’s creamy texture means it sinks into the skin creating a more natural and flushed look, whereas powder can sit on top of the skin, looking more obvious. The downside is that cream blushers require more touch-ups compared to powder, as they move more easily. However, since they only take seconds to apply, that’s not a significant hardship.
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How to apply cream blusher
We asked Lisa for her tips on applying cream blusher. Here’s how to do it like a pro:
- Go in with your fingers. Creams are designed to be either applied or blended in with your fingers. The warmth from your hand will help make the cream blusher move around more easily.
- Pat and push. Cream blusher, more so than powders, can create a natural flushed effect. Again, because of their consistency, you can literally push them into the skin to make it look like you’re glowing from the inside out.
- Give it a minute. Apply your cream blush, then move onto another element of your makeup and then come back to your blush. By then, you may want to add a bit more because the cream will have sunk in and you may want to amp up the intensity with another layer.
- Sponges and brushes work too. Blending sponges and brushes can help diffuse the edges of your cream blusher to make it look softer. If you ever apply too much, use whatever brush or tool you applied your base with and go over the blusher with any leftover product. This will dial down your blush easily.
- Set with powder for staying-power. To help your cream blusher last all day, you will need to go over the top with a bit of powder. Either a translucent one or a powder blusher in a similar shade. By nature of its consistency, cream blusher will move and lift, but powder will set it in place.
15 of the best cream blushers
The one that's feels like second skin:
Sculpted By Aimee Cream Luxe Blush, £18
Shade range: 8
It’s a risky thing to reformulate a best-seller, but that’s exactly what Aimee Connolly, the makeup artist and brains behind Sculpted By Aimee, has done with her cream blushers. The new formulation contains three times more pigment and a silkier texture that sinks into the skin so it feels like you’re not wearing anything – yet still manages to have amazing staying power. You can also tap it over the lips to coordinate your look.
Buy NowThe cult one:
Shade range: 13
I’ve never been asked about a cream blusher as much as I have about these pocket-sized wonders from Hailey Bieber’s makeup range, Rhode. “Should I buy one?” and “Are they worth the money?” being the two main questions. My answer? If it’s within your budget, then absolutely. You won’t be disappointed. They come in with a handy-sized, twistable applicator so you can easily pop it in your handbag for touchups, and all the shades are spot-on; ultra wearable and true to the colour you see on the website – although now you can try them for yourself in Sephora. It blends really easily and leaves a gorgeous, matte finish that looks like a natural flush of colour.
Buy NowThe luxe one:
Shade range: 8
While this may not look like your average cream blusher, it very much is one. The ultra chic compact contains a sponge-like block of cream blusher that is easy to blend and move on the skin, but you need to work fairly quickly as it dries down to a powder finish that then doesn’t budge. The shades are beautiful, especially the soft rosy pink colour, Dahlia.
Buy NowThe one for a bright blusher look:
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Island Glow Lip & Cheek, £30
Shade range: 5
If you prefer a slightly bolder blush look, then you need one of these multi-tasking pots. They come in punchy shades to create an almost sunbaked type of look. The cream manages to be highly pigmented but also sheer at the same time and you can sweep it over cheeks and lips.
Buy NowThe one that's convenient:
Jones Road Lip and Cheek Stick, £36
Shade range: 8
Packed with hydrating skin ingredients such as castor oil and vitamin E, the formula claims to boost collagen and work on hyperpigmentation. It has a creamy texture that really sinks into the skin to give the most natural effect. It comes in a handy twisty stick and the colours range from plum purples through some reds and a few different pink hues, so it really does work equally well on the lips as well as the cheeks.
Buy NowThe one that's under £10:
Shade range: 6
Creamy to apply but dries down to a powdery finish with a subtle shimmer that manages to be glowy, not glittery, this flattering pop of colour is an absolute steal. Infused with Argan oil and vitamin E for a welcome hydration boost on drier skin types, it gives you the kind of flush that looks like you’ve been for a walk on a fresh day – no clown cheeks to be seen.
Buy NowThe one that's a dream to blend:
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, £24
Shade range: 16
I’m yet to find a buy from Selena Gomez’s range that I haven’t loved, and this cream blusher is one of my favourites. It comes with an oversized dabber applicator, which makes it easy to apply. You only need two dots for a full cheek flush as the colour payoff is incredible, and it stays put all day (make sure you’ve got a good oil-based cleanser on stand by for when you want to take it off!).
Buy NowThe one that multitasks:
Shade range: 12
I’ve got through four of these cream blushers, not only because the shades are really wearable (there isn’t a dud one in the collection), but because the handy dome-shaped packaging makes it really easy to use wherever you are. I don’t even need a mirror to swipe it in, that’s how much confidence I have in the texture sinking in perfectly. I also use it over my lips and it feels hydrating.
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The hydrating one:
Max Factor Miracle Pure Infused Cream Blush, £9.99
Shade range: 7
Containing hydrating hyaluronic acid and moisturising squalane, this has more of a gel-like consistency, which makes it very easy to blend and move. It feels slightly cooling and refreshing on the skin, and you can feel the skin getting drenched in moisture as it goes on.
Buy NowThe iconic one:
Shade range: 11
These little paint tube-style cream blushers were an instant hit when they launched nearly a decade ago in 2017. They’ve gone through a few formulation iterations since then, each time improving on what I thought was previous perfection. The colour is fairly sheer, but can be easily layered for more intensity. They have a gel-cream texture, and you only need two or three dots for a healthy-looking flush, so even though the tube is small-ish it will last you a long time. Keep your eyes peeled for various limited edition shades, but the core shade range is really wearable.
Buy NowThe one that feels like skincare:
Shade range: 4
With a really creamy consistency, this blush is very easy to move around and blend in, so it looks like really natural. It contains lots of hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and snow mushroom, and it does feel like you’re applying a skincare product to your skin; it just happens to have pigment in it. Don’t be put off by the little tube; this is highly pigmented, so a little does a lot, and this will last you long enough.
Buy NowThe one for beginners:
Beauty Pie Supercheek Cream Blush, £20 for members (£30 for non-members)
Shade range: 8
These little pots of fool-proof matte cheek colour are super-blendable thanks to a unique mix of synthetic waxes and a ‘silicone elastomer gel’ making them a great option for anyone who wants to experiment with cream blusher after a lifetime of powder loyalty.
Buy NowThe one for sensitive skin:
Delilah Radiant Liquid Blush, £24
Shade range: 2
Known for excellent ethical credentials (Delilah is vegan, certified cruelty-free and uses only natural ingredients) that don’t compromise on also being brilliant makeup products, only the tiniest squirt of this cream blusher is needed, as the pigment payoff is exceptional. It comes with a narrow nozzle, which means there is no risk of squirting too much out. Start with a little and then build it up to however strong you like your blush. It’s also creamy and hydrating enough to be worn on the lips.
Buy NowThe one for glow:
Iconic London Sheer Blush, £23
Shade range: 4
It’s no surprise that the brand made famous for its glow-giving illuminators managed to create a liquid blush with unrivalled sheer dewiness. The ‘water-rich’ gel is effortless to blend in with fingertips, or if you prefer, gently buffed in with a stippling brush. The end result is best described as a gorgeous veil of colour that can be made to pop for the evening with an added layer or two.
Buy NowThe stackable one:
Trinny London Flush Blush, £24
Shade range: 5
Created to be easy to use when you’re in a rush or on-the-go, this cream blusher comes in a stackable pot that you can click together with any other pot-based Trinny London buys you have. There is a really great online matching tool on the brand website to help figure out your best shade and it has a lovely creamy consistency that creates a dewy natural flush that can be layered for intensity. It also blends into the skin effortlessly without disturbing your base (my pet peeve!).
Buy Now
