Michelle Pfeiffer Reveals Her "All Time" Favorite Creamy Blush

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Blush is the crisp, white button-down of skincare – it looks good on everyone. Unlike powder blushes which take away glow, a few taps of cream blush on the apples of your cheeks will give you an instant pick-me-up. “Think about how you look after you’ve been out in the sunshine, or stepped off of a ski-lift,” says makeup artist Celine Russell. “Those natural places on your face that are rosy and flushed–that fresh look brings the face to life.”

While yes, cream blush is trending, Celine sees it as part of a bigger focus on timeless, fresh skin. “Cream blush is in right now because beautiful skin is in – they go hand-in-hand” she says. Aside from stepping up your skincare with serums and other products, cream blush is your ticket to lit-from-within skin. Thanks to the dab-and-go nature of a cream product, the application is as effortless as the results.

We’ve tested dozens of cream blushes on a variety of skin tones and types to find the best options for a flattering flush. Our criteria were simple: a formula that was easy to blend with your fingertips, a wash of color that was there but not too there, and most importantly, we wanted it to actually last. Bonus points if it can double as a lip color or be applied one-handed at a red light.

Below, you'll find the best brands — including a drugstore option that's so less than $10 — whether you have dry, mature or sensitive skin. If you keep scrolling, we also answer some of your biggest questions about application and what to look for when picking the right one.

Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil

This universal crowd-pleaser comes in six shades, and imparts a hydrating sheen thanks to hyaluronic acid. I personally used this blush, and it blew me away. The formula is creamy, blendable and the pigmentation is perfect. Bonus: it didn't settle into any creases, and I still had a nice amount of color after a full day of wear.

Cheek Heat Gel-Cream Blush Makeup

This gel-cream blush from Maybelline offers a subtle yet sophisticated sheen that rivals more expensive products. Don’t be alarmed when you first apply – the blush starts out quite wet on the skin but dries down to a natural glowy finish quickly. If you like a more pigmented pop, you may need to add a few layers to achieve your desired flush. I found this formula to be transparent and glowy, letting my natural skin shine through with the perfect pick-me-up wash of color.

Cloud Paint Gel Cream Blush

When it comes to cream blush, Glossier’s transparent gel-cream is the formula to beat. It’s creamy, buildable, natural, long-lasting and pigmented without being too pigmented. The unique consistency really lends itself to mixing and layering, which makes finding your perfect shade even easier.

Our associate news editor, Maggie Horton, even uses it on her eyelids and lips. “Glossier's Cloud Paint is a dream. It blends super easily and is buildable to create the desired finish,” she said. We love that the brand recently expanded its shade range to include richer colors that work beautifully on deeper skin tones.

Dew Blush

Saie, the clean yet cool beauty brand trending all over TikTok, made waves when they launched Dew Blush last year (even Hailey Bieber loves it!). The creamy water-based formula melts into the skin leaving behind a glowy wash of color. Our testers loved the doe-foot applicator that dots the perfect amount of product up the cheekbones. Packed with clean skincare ingredients, you can count on this moisturizing formula not to settle into skin texture.

Our associate commerce editor, Anna Mahan, said, “the color blends beautifully and makes my makeup look so fresh and flushed!” Some richer colors require a lighter hand when applying, but our testers noted that over-application was easy to blend away with a sponge or brush.

Desert Island Duo

DIBS (Desert Island Beauty Status) was launched by Austin-based influencer Courtney Shields with their now best-selling Desert Island Duo. The ultra-blendable dual-ended blush and bronzer stick makes good on the brand’s promise with a creamy formula that can be applied with your fingertips.

The nine fool-proof color combinations can also be applied to eyelids and lips for a cohesive look. “I love the contouring feature with the bronzer end of the stick," says our visual director Kate Phillips. "I’m very impressed with the quality for the price."

Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick

Baby Cheeks is a unique formula best described by the luxury cosmetics brand as a “naturally effervescent flush of color.” The portable blush comes in seven shades in a twist-up stick that feels expensive and chic (why are magnetic closures just so satisfying?) Our copy chief, Stephanie Lepore, describes the finish as “a happy, youthful flush that stands out without feeling too 'done.'”

Thanks to a host of skin-soothing ingredients, the formula promises to boost hydration and skin firmness. Our testers found the splurgy price justifiable thanks to the universally flattering shade range, packaging and attention to ingredients. Nervous to take the plunge? The brand offers their best-selling shade in a mini size that’s half the price.

Fun fact: Michelle Pfeiffer said this was “one of my all-time favorites" when it came to blushes.

transparent Flush Cheek Tint

After a shocking announcement to forgo makeup in 2016, pop icon Alicia Keys is back on the beauty game, but on her own terms. Her line, Keys Soulcare, focuses on products that enhance your beauty by letting your skin shine through. In that spirit, her cheek tints are ultra hydrating.

“The unbelievably creamy blush melted right into my skin, leaving me with the perfect "she was just kissed by the sun" look,” said our associate editor, Sarah DiMarco, said. The larger shade range keeps deeper skin tones in mind, with shades like Undeniable, which is described as a “deep warm wine.”

Flush Balm Cream Blush

The internet is a-buzz with love for Merit’s minimalist makeup line. Their Flush Balm comes in a dome-shaped applicator that makes it easy to swipe on the smooth balm that easily melts into the skin with the help of your fingertips. The result is a natural wash of color that still lets your natural skin texture shine through. “It's very lightweight but is buildable,” says one of our editors. “It has become my go-to for running errands or hopping on a Zoom call when I want a little more color on no-makeup days.”

Bisou Blush

Violette Seratt, award-winning makeup artist and ultimate French cool girl, founded her makeup line in 2021. Since then, her collection has grown into a range of products that epitomize the unfussy, less-is-more Parisian aesthetic.

Bisou Blush is a marbled stick that imparts a multidimensional, matte finish that mimics your natural flush. The waxy formula ensures that the matte formula is easy to blend and never looks flat. The shade range is small but mighty. “Each color has beautiful marbled pigments with lighter and darker tones that really give a lot of versatility,” says tester Rebekah Daggett.

How we tested

To find the best cream blushes on the market, we selected a whopping 25 blushes to test. Country Living editors with a range of skin types and tones tested each blush for blendability, finish and longevity. The top performing products with the highest scores in all three categories were selected.

What is the difference between liquid blush and cream blush?

“Liquid blush tends to be more pigmented,” Celine says. This pigment makes it a little less user-friendly and calls for a less-is-more approach. Celine recommends dabbing a bit of your base makeup on top of any blush that’s gotten a little too statement-making.

How do you apply cream blush?

“Cream products are really made to be applied skin-to-skin,” says Celine. She prefers adding light layers applied to the apples of the cheeks with fingers in a feathered motion, almost pushing it into the skin. The most important tip? “Less is more. You can always add.”

How can you get cream blush to last?

If you’re going to an event where you really need longevity, Celine suggests setting your cream blush with a powder blush and then using a little gloss or highlighter to add the glow back. Primers on the skin can help, but the best advice is to throw your blush in your bag and touch up throughout the day.

Is cream blush good for mature skin?

“The more powder that you apply to older skin, the more it ages the skin,” advises Celine. It settles in your lines and highlights them. “Anyway you can add luminescence into our face as you age is going to make it more beautiful.”

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