The best blusher sticks for an instant glow

As regular readers will known, blusher is my desert island beauty product, but being on a desert island, I wouldn’t expect a full makeup brush wardrobe, and said blusher would have to be a doddle to apply as I’d have far more pressing tasks in hand like building huts etc. Which is where this blusher stick collection comes in. From budget high street blushers to double-ended luxe blush blowouts, here are the convenient cheek sticks that our team rate.

Great for: A luminous finish.

If you like your blusher with flecks of gold and a ‘catch the light’ quality, these sunkissed sticks will be just your vibe. Available in four Ibiza influenced shades (Charlotte grew up on the island), they look instantly pretty, never clowny and are extremely easy to blend- there’s no hard edges or obvious blobs. They set off a (fake) tan brilliantly, and while you may need to top up the colour to restore the initial flush, it won’t migrate or settle into fine lines. If you’re heading off into the sunset, or just the office, a Beach Stick will wake your face up nicely. Dab onto lips too to get your money’s worth.

Buy online

Great for: Subtle, sheer colour.

Available in both blusher and highlighter appropriate shades, the rose gold and apricot pink takes on this easy peasy cheek stick flatter light to medium skintones (I fear this one’s too see-through to show up on darker skintones when blended) and are light and creamy in texture. They transform to a more powdery finish on application that’s ideal for summer days, and there’s a hint of shimmer to make cheeks beam. I’d dispute the highly pigmented claim, but they are very buildable and never ‘blocky’- they look really natural even if you have a few moments to rub them in.

Buy online

You can’t have a makeup stick rundown without a Clinique Chubby, and the cheek incarnation of the chubby family is convincing colour-wise, simple to blend and just the thing for drier skins- it feels moisturising, yet doesn’t slip away come midday. The spangle averse will be happy that there’s no glitz to speak of here, and it’s also fragrance-free which is A* news from a skincare point of view.

Buy online

Great for: sheeny cheeks.

A veil of radiant colour over the apple of your cheeks can makes skin look smoother and your entire face that bit brighter, and that’s what this chunky blusher stick does. The pearly cream blusher dots on and blends out evenly and can be dabbed on lips too for a rosy balm effect. This probably isn’t the one for oily skin (slightly too much shimmer going on), but otherwise it’s a quick, simple glow giver. It’s currently only available at QVC in the UK with a limited shade range- here’s hoping we get the full US colour roster soon to cater for every skin tone and whim.

Buy online

Great for: colour for every skintone and type.

Whether you opt for world-famous Orgasm, a limited edition shade or any peachy, pinky, mauvey hue of this lightweight, foolproof multitasker, there’s a blusher here to suit you, and the finish will be seamless. Some shades contain more sparkle than others, but the velvety formula glides on, melts in and will stick around all day. It’s also fragrance-free, can be layered for more of a ‘pop’ and doesn’t feel remotely greasy.

Buy online

Great for: a low key everyday flush.

I fell in love with the Rose Gold shade of this blusher stick at the press launch- it’s so soft and you can build it up without it ever looking too obvious. It delivers a lovely dewy effect and makes cheeks look supple- if ‘no makeup makeup’ is on your agenda, plus you’re trying to scribble your face on at the back of the bus, it’s a no brainer. Shade variety is frustratingly lacking, but if you’re fair to medium, it fits the bill.

Buy online

Great for: versatile blushing and bronzing.

Ayesha’s pick for colour payoff on dark skintones, this dual-ended cheek stick is available in a new shade blend for summer 2018, combining a coral blusher with a golden bronze multitasker on the other end. The blusher element is a ‘little goes a long way’ situation, which is just as well given the price, and it creates seamless warmth, while the bronzer swoops in to define cheekbones and generally add summery highlights on even the most dull of days. It’s portable, handy and undeniably an investment, but considering that you can also dab it on cheekbones and swipe it down legs should it come to that, it earns its keep. I can imagine JLo daubing herself in this before going out dancing.

Buy online

Great for: busy women AKA all of us.

It’s a lipstick, a liner, a cheek stick and generally just an all-one definer and beautifier- this clever creamy pencil fulfils each of its briefs with aplomb. Judy rates it as a cheek colour, and it’s surprisingly silky for a pencil- I had assumed it might come off a bit dry and chalky on skin, but it’s thankfully smooth textured and impressively pigmented. The shade range means there’s choice aplenty and it’s brilliant for slimming down your makeup bag and applying on the hoof.

Buy online

Follow Anna on Twitter and Instagram