To help you find the best options, we researched today's top-rated, bestselling cream blushes before selecting more than 20 to put to the test in our lab facility in NYC. We evaluated each one based on its texture, blendability, pigmentation, and shade range , and ahead, we're sharing which ones impressed us the most.
Thanks to an influx of tons of new additions to the market in recent years, you can now find cream blushes in various formats and finishes . "Just like with foundation, you need to tailor it to your own needs," says makeup artist Andreea Ali . "You can have different finishes like matte, satin, or slightly shimmery, so it all depends on your preference."
If you're looking to achieve that fresh-looking, lit-from-within glow, cream blush is a must. Buttery-smooth formulas make it easy to add a natural-looking flush, and unlike their powdery counterparts, they're often hydrating, glow-inducing, and super blendable . Many can even be applied with your fingers , making them ideal for on-the-go glam.
Best Overall
Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Cream Blush
Ulta
View On Amazon
$32
View On Sephora
$32
View On Ulta
$32
Our Ratings
What We Like
Blends beautifully
Buildable pigment
Built-in brush
What We Don’t Like
Shade range could be more extensive
We tried lots of great formulas, but this one from Anastasia Beverly Hills is in a league of its own. We loved that it felt smooth and hydrating during application and once it set, and we appreciated its non-sticky texture. It was super blendable, even with just our fingertips, but you can also use the handy built-in brush to buff into your skin or even a damp sponge for a more diffused finish.
Once blended out, our cheeks had a nice glowy radiance and a natural-looking flush. There are seven colors to choose from to compliment a range of skin tones, though we would love to see the brand expand this to include more undertones. Since the formula is somewhat sheer, you won't get a ton of pigment with a single swipe. However, it's very buildable, so you can achieve the exact level of color you want without accidentally overdoing it.
Who It's For
If you're looking for a blush with a natural radiant finish that doesn't lean greasy on the skin, this is an excellent choice. It's not too stiff or chalky, nor too oily, meaning it's a nice option for all skin types. Plus, the stick format makes it mess-free and convenient to use.
Shades: 7 | Finish: Natural radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Budget
Milani Cheek Kiss Cream Blush
Amazon
View on Ulta
View On Amazon
$10
View On Ulta
$11
Our Ratings
What We Like
Lightweight and slick
Dries quickly
Non-tacky formula
What We Don’t Like
Almost too pigmented
Milani is a go-to for high-quality, budget-friendly makeup, and you can expect nothing less from the brand's cream blush. The Cheek Kiss formula has a slick, lightweight consistency that sets quickly without feeling tacky. Once applied, it looks seamless and slightly radiant on the skin. Since it absorbs quickly and the four shades are pretty intensely pigmented, we recommend starting with one small dab so you don't overdo it. We found that applying it with a sponge made for the most even application and it also helped to tone down the pigment a bit. We also like that the packaging is compact, but the pan is big enough to dip a blush brush into.
Who It's For
If you're new to using cream blush or you're simply looking for a great option from the drugstore, this gem from Milani is a great place to start. It's affordable, easy to apply, and looks beautiful on the skin.
Shades: 4 | Finish: Dewy/natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Drugstore
Maybelline New York Cheek Heat Gel Cream Blush
Amazon
View On Amazon
$6
View On Target
$6
View On Target
$6
Our Ratings
What We Like
Lightweight and smooth
Non-sticky formula
Leaves a dewy glow
What We Don't Like
Color payoff could be better
Another one coming in hot from the drugstore category, Maybelline Cheek Heat was a hit during our test. We loved how the lightweight formula applied effortlessly to the skin, making it easy to achieve a smooth, even layer. This jelly-like cream blush feels slightly wet when it goes on, but it doesn't dry sticky, and it leaves a nice dewy glow in its wake. Although the shades look vivid when you squeeze the product out of the tube, the formula doesn't offer much pigmentation or buildability—it's pretty sheer. Another thing to note is that we could see running out of it quickly since you need a substantial amount of product, but for a few bucks per tube, it's still a great value.
Who It's For
Those who feel intimidated by overly pigmented blushes or just prefer a subtle wash of color on their cheeks will appreciate how sheer this one is. If you like a buildable flush that gives a naturally rosy look, this blush is a budget-friendly and convenient drugstore option.
Shades: 6 | Finish: Natural/sheer | Cruelty-Free: No
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Splurge
Clé de Peau Beauté Cream Blush
Clé de Peau
View On Amazon
$60
View On Walmart
$49
View On Walmart
$30
Our Ratings
What We Like
Melts into skin
Easy to blend
Natural-looking flush
What We Don't Like
Some shades could have better color payoff
Shade range could be more extensive
If you like the top-shelf stuff and have the budget for it, we highly recommend treating yourself to Clé de Peau Beauté. This cream blush glides on smoothly and melts into the skin when you blend it out with your fingers or a sponge. It has a very fine pearl in it which creates a subtle luminous finish that doesn't look greasy. Once applied, it feels totally weightless and undetectable on the cheeks. Since the pigment is somewhat sheer in some shades, you'll need a few swipes to get the color to show up, but this could be a good thing if you're naturally heavy-handed.
Who It's For
If you like to indulge in luxury beauty and you're a cream blush fan, we don't think you'll be disappointed with this one. It's blendable, buildable, and creates a beautiful, natural-looking rosiness on the skin.
Shades: 4 | Finish: Radiant/sheer | Cruelty-Free: No
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
People / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Lightweight
REFY Cream Blush
Sephora
View On Sephora
$20
View On Net-a-Porter
$25
View On Selfridges.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Buildable pigment
Comfortable feel
Non-sticky formula
What We Don’t Like
Not long lasting
Pan is very small
With an incredibly lightweight and creamy texture, this blush formula from Refy is easy to apply. A few taps with your fingertips, a brush, or a sponge create an even veil of color on the cheeks, and once applied, we loved how soft and non-sticky it felt on the skin. Despite how pigmented it is and how glowy it looks, you won't be able to feel the product sitting on your skin.
One thing to note is that it's not the longest-lasting and may come off easily on oily complexions. If blush tends to fade quickly on you, we recommend setting this one in place with a long-wearing setting spray.
Who It's For
If you're sensitive to the feeling of makeup on your face and you prefer non-sticky formulas that feel like you're not wearing makeup (or hardly any), Refy is your best bet. We don't love that the pan is so tiny (especially for the price), but because of this, it's also a nice option to travel with or keep in your bag for touch-ups.
Shades: 5 | Finish: Dewy | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best for Full Glam
Makeup By Mario Soft Pop Blush Stick
Sephora
View On Amazon
$23
View On Sephora
$32
View On Kohls.com
$32
Our Ratings
What We Like
Full-pigment color
Blends beautifully
Natural finish
Diverse shade range
What We Don’t Like
Packaging is a bit clunky
Unlike a lot of cream blushes that feel super emollient and look dewy on the skin, this one from Makeup By Mario offers a natural finish and comes in a solid stick format. During testing, we loved that the non-sticky and non-greasy formula was easy to blend and offered excellent color payoff. Regardless of the application method you use, you'll be able to achieve a streak-free result with a finish that looks truly skin-like. We also love that the shade range offers a great variety of colors that vary in depth and undertone. While we appreciate that it comes with a built-in brush, the packaging is a bit clunky.
Who It's For
This popular blush is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to use a cream formula but prefers a natural finish. It's also excellent for full-glam looks thanks to rich pigmentation and a long-wearing formula.
Shades: 6 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Natural Finish
Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush
Sephora
View On Sephora
$22
View On Walmart
$40
View On Walmart
$38
Our Ratings
What We Like
Buttery-smooth
Comfortable feel
Non-sticky formula
What We Don’t Like
Not long-wearing
Rare Beauty has mastered the art of creating excellent blushes; just take their beloved liquid formula for example. Unlike the super-pigmented liquid, the brand's Stay Vulnerable Blush is more subtle, with buildable pigmentation and a super creamy, buttery-smooth consistency. It glides on effortlessly and melts beautifully into the skin. The satin finish has a hint of dewiness, though it's not so dewy that it loses its skin-like appearance. And considering how creamy it is, we were pleasantly surprised by the lightweight, non-sticky feel. Just a heads up: You might need a few layers to get the sheer formula to show up, but it's buildable and easy to blend.
Our one con with this one is that it's not the most long-wearing formula—it fades significantly after a few hours. However, it's an easy blush to re-apply and touch up throughout the day thanks to the workable texture that can be applied with your fingertips.
Who It's For
If you like your blush to look natural and almost undetectable on the skin, this is the one for you. The formula applies easily and is buildable but not overly pigmented, and because it melts into your complexion seamlessly, it's great for no-makeup makeup days.
Shades: 5 | Finish: Satin/natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Best Stick
Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick
Amazon
View On Amazon
$24
View On Sephora
$24
View On Walmart
Our Ratings
What We Like
Easy to blend
Natural-looking flush
Comfortable feel
Extensive shade range
What We Don’t Like
So small, it feels a bit odd to hold while applying
We love a good stick blush for convenient and easy application, and this one doesn't disappoint. The lightweight, ultra-creamy formula blends out effortlessly and feels totally comfortable and non-greasy or heavy on the skin. It offers buildable color and a natural-radiant finish. We also love that it comes in 11 shades, so everyone will be able to find one that suits their preferences.
Although it contains a pretty standard six grams of product, the stick is so tiny (it almost looks like a sample) that feels a bit funny to hold and apply. But considering how great the formula is, and the fact that this does make it easy to keep in your bag, we can definitely look past this.
Who It's For
If you're on the go and you want a product that you can quickly swipe on and blend out with your fingertips, this stick blush from Milk is great for you. It's also a nice choice for anyone in the market for a cream formula with a natural-radiant finish.
Shades: 11 | Finish: Natural/radiant | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie/Tamara Staples
Best Shade Range
Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush
Sephora
View On Sephora
$26
View On Ulta
$26
View On Fentybeauty.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Easy to blend
Buildable pigment
Shade range offers unique colors
What We Don't Like
Not the most long-wearing
Leave it to Fenty Beauty to create a killer shade range. Available in 15 colors that range from neutral pink to red to even vibrant purples, there's something for everyone in this line-up. As for the formula, we found that the super-smooth and creamy texture was easy to apply and even easier to blend. It didn't settle into pores and we could build the pigment without worrying about a patchy look. We also loved that it played well over foundation and also looked nice on bare skin.
Who It's For
If you struggle to find blush shades that compliment your skin tone or you're looking for something fun and different, we highly recommend checking out this option from Fenty Beauty. It's also great for anyone who prefers a cream formula with a natural finish.
Shades: 15 | Finish: Natural | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Byrdie / Tamara Staples
Rio in Danessa Myricks cream blush. (It lasted even after running errands).
Photo: Rio Viera-Newton
With just a few taps, a cream blush breathes life into the skin — a natural-looking flush that’s integral to “no-makeup makeup.” But ironically, what I love about cream blush is also the thing that frustrates me most. Cream blush looks incredible moments after you apply it (Sunkissed! Glowy! Rosey!), but because of how emollient and moisturizing the formulas are, the pigment is easily wiped away and fades quickly. And in my experience, a cream blush will require multiple trips to the bathroom throughout the day in order to preserve the look from that morning.
But I just knew there had to be a cream blush out there that actually lasts. And so I got to testing. Like last year, when I hunted for the best clear brow gel, I decided to test out as many cream blushes as I could get my hands on, from a wide variety of brands at all different price points. Some of the blushes were recommended by friends and colleagues, others I found sleuthing TikTok or Reddit, and a few I picked up at Sephora or Target simply because I liked the look of them. This time around, my criteria were as follows: The blush has to be easy to apply with fingers (I don’t always have time for brushes and sponges — who does?), it must blend easily into the skin, and, most importantly, it has to actually last. Each morning, I applied a different cream blush as I would normally — on top of sunscreen and a bit of concealer, using my fingers to blend it out (this alone weeded a few out, as some pilled or looked patchy instantly). On top of the standard wear test, I also took photographs at the beginning and end of everyday, in order to formally document the process and compare notes when I was done testing.
Of all the 20 blushes I tested over the course of two months, there were quite a few that met most of my criteria but not all. For example, Saie’s Dew Blush in Spicy, for example, had excellent staying power and gave the nicest sunkissed flush, but I found it looked a little patchy when I blended it out with my fingers (it looked much more natural when I did so with a brush). And Pixi by Petra’s TikTok beloved On-the-Glow blush gave a really gorgeous rosy, pinch to the cheeks and was so easy to blend with just your fingers, but it rubbed off quickly (it had admittedly been a hot day when I tried it, but a good blush should be able to withstand a little sweat).
The champion, it turns out, is Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder, a relatively new launch from the brand that I’d seen making the rounds in makeup-artist kits and on editors’ favorites lists for a few months. I hadn’t actually gotten around to trying it, until now. The formula itself is unique because, as it says by the name, it starts off as a balmy, almost slippery consistency. So when you first rub your fingers into the pot and start pressing it into the skin it’s buttery and easy to work into your skin. But after a few taps, the product begins to sheer out with a lightweight powdery finish. When I first tried the blush, I applied it over a light layer of foundation on a night out. I was thrilled at how easily it melted into the skin without disrupting or pilling the makeup I’d already applied. But perhaps more impressive was just how vibrant it looked when I peeked in a mirror a few hours later — it almost looked like I’d just put it on. The next day I tested the blush over bare skin just to see if that would make a difference. To my surprise, it also stayed put throughout a whole day of meetings.
Now I do understand the potential hesitation from anyone with dry skin who’s typically powder averse, but this is truly nothing like any other powder finish I’ve tried before — it’s soft, airy, and almost silky. No cakiness or dehydration. The Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder definitely has a soft matte finish once it’s fully blended into the skin, (as opposed to the dewy finish of an ultra emollient blush). That finish not only gives the blush staying power (more on that in a second), it’s also a really stunning blurring effect. So, it’s a great choice for people with more textured or acne-prone skin types, like me.
This blush is incredibly pigmented and a tiny bit goes a really long way. In the past, I’d find myself really digging my fingers into my cream blush pots in order to get enough product for both my cheeks, but with the Blurring Balm Powder Blush, a quick tap or two will get you enough blush for at least one cheek. The high pigment in conjunction with the soft, powdery finish, I suspect, is what makes this blush really stick to the skin — I applied this at 8 a.m. and couldn’t believe when, nearly seven hours later, I came home with pretty much the same amount of blush I’d applied that morning. I recommend pressing or tapping the product into the cheeks to apply it, rather than rubbing it in circles, in order to get the most flawless, even layer.
Danessa Myrick’s Skin Blurring Balm Powder comes in six vibrant, richly pigmented colors — among them a rosy pink, bright coral, to a mauve-y berry — and while they show up incredibly well on my fairly pale, olive-undertone skin (I’m even paler than usual now that I live in London), I was thrilled to see Reddit users with deeper skin tones were also impressed with bright pigment. I tested “It Girl”, a true hot pink, and “Dancing Queen” a plum shade and, despite the shades looking quite bold on their own, when applied to my cheeks both gave my skin a soft, natural-looking flush, like I’d come back from a walk on a cold winter morning. Another bonus: The texture and finish of the blush mean it also works on lips. When you tap it in, it sheers out and leaves a smudgy soft matte stain, a finish similar to Rouje’s Powder Lip Palette, a holy grail of mine that’s sadly been discontinued.
A great blush has the uncanny ability to quickly and easily refresh your entire complexion. Even when I’m running out of the house with no time to apply concealer or foundation, a few taps of blush along the apples of my cheeks is able to add color and life back into the skin and take the edge off my ghoulish, pasty, winter-ridden skin. And while a creamy, ultra-dewy and emollient blush seems essential in achieving that quick, low-fuss, fresh-faced makeup, the staying powder of a cream-to-powder product like Danessa Myricks allows for your skin to maintain that healthy rosy glow all day long. And don’t let the pigment scare you: You can still apply this in the backseat of a cab.
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