By any chance, have you – like me – noticed any changes in your skin over the past few years? For most of us, these changes have meant a few adjustments to our skincare and makeup routines. And for me, a makeup product that I once didn’t give much thought to has become an absolute necessity. And just what product is that? It’s blush!
Since there has been an absolute avalanche of blush products launched over the last several years, I thought it might be helpful to test some of the most highly touted blushes to determine which ones really work best on our mature skin. So that’s exactly what’s on today’s agenda.
First, let’s talk about just how blush helps us.
- As our skin naturally loses some of its pigment and vibrancy with age, blush helps restore a healthy looking flush.
- Without blush and with just foundation/skin tint our face can look flat. Blush adds shape and definition to the cheekbones which prevents a one-dimensional appearance.
- Blus also helps counteract skin dullness by making the skin look more awake and refreshed.
- And finally, it can help create a lifting effect which makes the face look sculpted and healthy.
Most Important Considerations When Choosing a Blush
There are three extremely important considerations to keep in mind when choosing a blush: First, formula, second, color, and third, blendability.
Since most of us experience drier skin with age, cream and liquid formulas will often work best for us as they tend to blend more easily and don’t settle into fine lines like some powder formulas. Plus, they never look cakey because of our own natural body heat. Liquid and cream blushes offer hydration, glow, and pigment and liquid blushes – especially – are long lasting.
But I know some of us do have oily skin. If that’s the case, powder and liquid blushes can be a good choice. However, if you have oily skin but like the look of cream blush, you can layer it over a powder base and can set the cream blush with a light dusting of powder to further ensure its staying power.
Now let’s focus on color. While we can always choose any shade that appeals to us, lighter skin tones can usually get away with using sheerer formulas in the peach and pink tones. Mango, berry and plum tones look amazing on medium to deeper skin tones.
And we of course need to choose the color that works best for the undertone of our skin. For warm undertones, corals, peaches and orange tones can be stunning. For cool undertones, pinks, violets and berry tones can be gorgeous. And if you’re not sure of your undertone, be sure to check out this article.
In today’s video I try on 8 blushes. And because there are so many great blush options, this is Part 1 and we’ll conclude with Part 2 two weeks later.
First, let’s go with some great drugstore “oldie but goodie” options.
Blush #1: An Old Favorite
How many of you have Elf’s Luminous Putty Blush? I have the shade “Bora, Bora,” but these luminous putty blushes also come in five other shades. It’s described as a buildable and blendable formula that creates a natural, luminous flush of color. The cream-to-powder texture allows for easy application and a seamless finish. And then of course there’s the fact that it only costs $7.00.
Blush #2: Drugstore Old Favorite
This is another long-time favorite drugstore blush: Wet and Wild’s Megaglow Stick blush in “Dusty Pink.” It provides a very impressive pop of color which you can often find for under four dollars. It has a unique cream-to-powder formula and blends and builds beautifully. It’s enriched with vitamin E and feels velvety smooth.
Blush #3: New Drugstore Option
Now let’s go with a newer drugstore stick blush from Versed which is skincare infused. This blush is a little on the pricier side at Target and on the Versed website at $14.99 and comes in 5 shades. It’s formulated with jojoba oil to deliver a lightweight and easy-to-layer blush that has good pigment and hydrates the skin. It’s also extremely buildable and blends like a dream. Depending on how much is applied, it can look soft and natural or like a bold pop of color.
Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!
Blush #4: Drugstore Liquid Blush
Next up is our first liquid blush and it’s the Elf Camo Liquid Blush. It’s long-lasting with high-pigment color payoff, a lightweight and blendable formula, and a dewy finish. It’s also designed to be easy to use and suitable for various skin types, including dry, oily, and combination skin.
Additionally, it’s a 100% vegan and cruelty-free product. The shade range has recently been expanded to 12 and it costs $7.00. And since you only need to use 1-2 drops of this blush at the most, this small bottle will last quite some time.
Blush #5: Drugstore Trio
The last drugstore blush I’m highlighting today is also the newest. It’s Morphe’s Cheek Thrills Multi-Finish Face Trio. I have the shade “Apres Ski” but it comes in 6 other shades and costs $19.00. Each palette comes in a tonal flattering color combination with three different finishes that you can mix and match.
There’s a satin cream, a luminous balm and a velvet powder which makes this product incredibly versatile. You can layer these finishes to create custom color and effects. The luminous balm provides a subtle highlight, while the satin cream and velvet powder offer different levels of intensity and dimension.
Blush #6: Newer Cream Stick Option
Now we’ll move on to three more expensive blushes. The first is the newest stick blush I’ve tried which is Rhode’s Pocket Blush in the shade “Piggy.” This is a cream blush with a natural glow that comes in 6 shades and costs $24.00. The formula isn’t overly pigmented, so it’s very easy to apply. And if you do prefer a rosier glow, it can easily be built up.
Perhaps what’s most interesting about it is how long-lasting it is. I’m not a huge fan of this applicator since the width of it makes it a bit harder to grasp, but let’s give it a try.
Blush #7: High End Cream Stick
The most expensive blush is our next option from the clean beauty brand Westman Atelier. It costs $48 for the regular size. Fortunately, several of the colors come in a mini size which costs $26.00. A nice feature of this blush is that it’s easy to hold and maneuver around the skin. And what’s most impressive is that the creamy balm formula swipes onto the cheeks effortlessly.
All six shades provide a pop of color that isn’t overbearing, but it’s also not too sheer. Sometimes, makeup products can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, but that’s definitely not an issue with this blush. This is very easy to blend with fingers or a brush, and it doesn’t disturb the makeup underneath.
Blush #8 Newest Cream Stick Made for Mature Skin
The last blush we’re testing today is from Revant Cosmetics. This blush comes in three shades – “Magenta Pink,” “Dusty Rose” and “Deep Merlot” and costs $30.00. It creates a dewy, soft-focus glow that doesn’t settle into fine lines, and it’s specifically designed with mature skin in mind.
It blends into the skin easily with no streaks or cakey texture. It can be applied with fingers for a quick touch of color, or it can be layered for a more defined look. It can also be used as a lip tint. In addition, it’s vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free. (If you use this link and the code ELISE10, you can get 10% off your purchase.)
In the video, I’ll share photos of each blush next to each other so you can decide which ones you feel look the best from today’s testing. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on your favorites in the comment section below.
In Part 2, we’ll take a look at 8 more blushes so we can eventually determine our top choices. And as long as we’re focusing on blush, here’s a video on blush application which I hope you’ll also find helpful since blushes can sometimes be tricky to apply.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you tried any of these blushes? If so, what was your experience with them? What’s your favorite blush?
