I have a thing for blush. Maybe it’s the history of it or the glamorous associations I have with it, but it’s quickly becoming one of my favourite makeup products to use. That, in itself, is wild, considering I used to avoid it altogether. You see, I’ve struggled with redness and rosacea for most of my life, and the thought of exacerbating the flushed look wasn’t something I found very appealing. It wasn’t until I entered my late 20s that I realised the power and potential of blush. When placed correctly, it doesn’t accentuate my redness; instead, it brightens up my complexion, whisks away dullness, and makes me look, well, alive.
I also recently joined TikTok, which means I’ve been spending a gross amount of time scrolling through videos, many of which happen to be the review and the get-ready-with-me type. What I’ve noticed is that the majority of TikTok-viral makeup products are blush. Whether cream, liquid, or oil (more on that last one in a minute), TikTokers can’t get enough of them. So as any good beauty editor would do, I decided to test them all, pitting the products against one another to find the best of the TikTok-recommended formulas. Ahead, see every blush I tested, what they look like IRL, and which one was the winner. (Hint: Even I was surprised at the result.)
Monday: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
I have a theory that it’s impossible to scroll through TikTok without seeing this blush somewhere along the way. It seems like every single beauty influencer swears by it, so needless to say, I had high expectations. From what I’d seen on TikTok, I expected the cream formula to have a bold colour payoff, blend easily, and look natural on the skin.
My expectations were definitely met. I used the bright-pink shade called Lucky, which would normally be outside of my comfort zone, but hey, go big or go home, right? I actually loved how the colour complemented my skin. I felt like it made my lips look pinker and my eyes look bluer.
As for the formula itself, it was certainly highly pigmented, so I used a light hand. I think I only applied two to three dots along each cheekbone before blending it out with my trusty Beautyblender (£18). The colour stayed put all day long, and the radiant finish didn’t make me look too shiny. All in all, I only have good things to say about it.
Shop An Affordable Alternative:
PIXI
On-The-Glow Blush Stick
Tuesday: Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Divine Powder Blush
Pat McGrath Labs
Skin Fetish Divine Blush
Pat McGrath‘s makeup brand is wildly popular, which only makes sense considering she’s probably the most recognisable makeup artist in the world. I’ve seen this blush all over social media, but IRL, I didn’t expect it to look as pretty as it does online. I was wrong. When I opened my compact, the rose design was perfect. It was almost too pretty to use (almost).
I used a heavy hand with this one because I wanted to see how the silky powder would hold up on my skin. Not only did the blush look incredibly natural (to me, it kind of looked like I just went for a jog or I’d been outside in the sun), but it also settled into my skin seamlessly. In fact, it didn’t look like I had blush on at all; it was more like the colour was coming from my own skin, which I loved.
That’s the reason I tend to prefer powder blushes over cream formulas. If they’re lightweight and silky, they apply like a dream and blend well. Plus, they don’t leave me looking too shiny throughout the day. As someone who’s prone to oiliness, that’s important.
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wet n wild
Colour Icon Blush
Wednesday: Youthforia BYO Blush Color Changing Blush Oil
Youthforia
BYO Blush Color Changing Blush Oil
This is the one I was most interested in using at the start of this weeklong experiment. I’d seen it all over social media, but I’d never tried it myself. It’s a colour-changing oil formula that looks green in the tube, but when it’s applied to the skin, it changes to a flattering pink shade according to your specific pH.
It was certainly fun to use, and I liked the pink flush I got from it, but I felt like the formula was too shiny for my complexion. As I mentioned before, I tend to get oily throughout the day, so adding an oil-based blush to my cheeks only made it worse. With that being said, if you have skin that’s on the drier side or you prefer a super-dewy finish, this is the blush for you.
Shop An Affordable Alternative:
Makeup Revolution
Superdewy Liquid Blush
Thursday: Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Bush
DIOR
Backstage Rosy Glow Blush
Another iconic blush, this is one I’ve been itching to use ever since it first went viral for being one of Kylie Jenner’s favourite products. The bubblegum-pink colour might look a little shocking, but I think it looks kind of chic, too. Also, now that bright-pink blushes are trending on TikTok, I felt like there was no better time to try it out for myself.
I’ll cut right to the chase. I love this blush. I expected it to be brighter and even a little costumey, but I was wrong. It actually looks quite subtle if you use a light hand. My cheekbones looked bright and pronounced but not in an obvious way.
The powder is fine and silky and applies like a dream. It actually reminded me of the Pat McGrath blush because of how well it blended. Like I said, I love this blush.
Shop An Affordable Alternative:
Sephora Collection
Colourful Face Powder
Friday: Saie Dew Blush
Since this is a highly pigmented cream blush, I expected it to be a lot like the Rare Beauty one, but it was slightly different. The pigment wasn’t as in-your-face as the Rare Beauty one, and I actually felt like it blended out easier.
Looking at this picture, I feel like it doesn’t even do this blush justice. The day I wore this, I ended up meeting my sister for coffee. She took one look at me and said, “Wait, why do you look so good?” The only thing that was different was this blush. I told her about it, and she instantly asked if she could try it. She went on to tell me that my skin looked bright, and my eyes looked more intense.
I loved this blush just as much as my sister did. I felt the colour was super flattering to my skin tone, and it blended out so well (without making my skin look overly shiny). It was just the perfect pop of colour with the perfect finish.
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Saturday: Charlotte Tilbury Pinkgasm Beauty Highlighter Wand
Charlotte Tilbury
Beauty Light Wand
Yes, this is technically a highlighter, but scroll through TikTok and you’ll see and hear almost everyone use it and call it a blush. That’s because it’s a highly pigmented formula that leaves a soft petal-pink colour on the skin. So in the spirit of testing out all TikTok-viral blushes, I felt compelled to include this one too.
Once I applied it, I could definitely see how it’s a highlighter first and foremost. It has a soft, shimmer finish that looks really flattering in the light. It also added a nice flush of petal pink to my cheekbones. However, I noticed it did make my skin look a little shiny by the afternoon. Still, it wasn’t anything a little translucent powder couldn’t fix.
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Revolution Pro
Pro Dewy Glaze Serum Highlighter
Shop the Winner:
The winner (and my new favourite blush) is the Saie Dew Blush. I honestly don’t have a single bad thing to say about it. It’s creamy, the colours are on point, it blends well, and it provides a natural-looking, lit-from-within flush to my face. Ever since my weeklong experiment, I’ve worn it almost every day, and the compliments keep rolling in.
This article was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
