If there's one product in your makeup bag that can immediately brighten your complexion, it's blush. In fact, most makeup artists will tell you that your face makeup isn't complete until you've dusted a rosy glow across your cheeks. And then, presto change-o: What once was tired, sallow-looking skin is healthy and radiant.
But when it comes to blush, the finished look will only be as beautiful as the product you put on your face. No amount of technique can save your makeup from a chalky, oily, or Ronald McDonald-worthy color.
To help you find the most beautiful blushes on the market — and steer clear of the absolute worst — we read thousands of blush reviews and tallied up the scores. Keep reading so you know what products work, and which ones to avoid.
And for a quick brush up (pun intended!) on your technique, makeup artist Glenn Marziali says to always remember this two-finger rule when trying to achieve a natural-looking flush: Place your index and middle fingers vertically on your face away from the nose to find the spot directly under your pupils. Apply blush on the apple of the cheek from that spot outwards, and stroke the blush along the cheekbones.
Why: Readers found this product to be "greasy to the touch." One reader said it made her face "sticky," while another complained that it was "hard to put on." Readers' biggest gripe was the smell, which they said they "hated" and described as "foul" and "like medicine." Readers say they definitely "won't ... purchase again."
Why: Readers give an "oh no" to this product. Unfortunately, "the color seems to be the same on any and every skin tone," leaving readers to "doubt that this blush reacts differently to different skin tones" like the product claims. "It was really difficult to control how much color you wanted," says one reader. "The hardest part was getting both cheeks evenly colored." Reviewers also said it's "not a good product for oily or combination skin," it "doesn't really have staying power" and "made [them] break out."
Why: While reviewers felt this pH-matching blush was a "great concept," ultimately they found that the color was just "too bright." "Don't believe the hype," warns one reviewer. While the "highly pigmented, very pink" blush worked for some readers, they warned that you should only buy it if you want a neon-bright blush.
Why: While some found this to be a "decent" blush, most felt that the pigmentation was lacking. One reviewer says that even though she has fair skin and bought the blush in medium coral, she has to "cake it on to even see the result." "No color shows up at all!" agrees another. Many women also reported that the blush "fades rather quickly; within about an hour of applying it." Their final complaint was about the "flimsy" packaging, which broke "after a few uses."
If there's one product in your makeup bag that can immediately brighten your complexion, it's blush. In fact, most makeup artists will tell you that your face makeup isn't complete until you've dusted a rosy glow across your cheeks. And then, presto change-o: What once was tired, sallow-looking skin is healthy and radiant.
But when it comes to blush, the finished look will only be as beautiful as the product you put on your face. No amount of technique can save your makeup from a chalky, oily, or Ronald McDonald-worthy color.
To help you find the most beautiful blushes on the market — and steer clear of the absolute worst — we read thousands of blush reviews and tallied up the scores. Keep reading so you know what products work, and which ones to avoid.
And for a quick brush up (pun intended!) on your technique, makeup artist Glenn Marziali says to always remember this two-finger rule when trying to achieve a natural-looking flush: Place your index and middle fingers vertically on your face away from the nose to find the spot directly under your pupils. Apply blush on the apple of the cheek from that spot outwards, and stroke the blush along the cheekbones.
