For me, blush is the most important step in my makeup routine. I usually have a blush heavy look, but often had a hard time finding one that worked for me best. After I felt like I bought everything from Sephora and Ulta, I was able to find my holy grails. To save you time and money, here is a list of blushes I tried and what has worked best and what totally flopped.
BUY Blushes
1.Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
I know that this one is often overhyped, but it is for a good reason! It is genuinely one of the best liquid blushes on the market. It is highly pigmented, so it is important to only use a little bit. This blush genuinely has lasted me months, making the twenty five dollar price tag worth it. This is a product that I continue to repurchase once I run out. It comes in a variety of colors, but I have consistently used the shade Grateful.Â
2.Benefit Floratint
Usually Benetint is all the rage, but Floratint has been my holy grail for years. I find the color to be more natural and easier to blend than Benetint usually is. It is advertised as a “desert rose” color, making a darker shade. If you prefer red over pink, but do not want it to be too bright, this is definitely the product for you. Twenty eight dollars is not the most cost friendly price, but it is worth it for a product that genuinely works well.Â
3.Milk Cream Blush Stick
This is my favorite cream blush by far. While it is twenty four dollars, I tend to find these at TJMaxx for much cheaper. I have two of them and they were both seven dollars. It blends nicely and comes in a variety of colors; some shades even have shimmer in them. It can pair nicely with a powder blush on top for an extra pigmented look. My only downside to this product is that it does break easily, so make sure you have a gentle hand while using it. Mine still works even though it broke. My favorite shade is Rally, which is a hot pink shade. Â
4.Polite Society Polite Pops Powder Blush Stick
I did not think I was a powder blush fan until I used this! Polite Society is a relatively new makeup brand with many unique products. A powder blush as a stick is a complete game changer. It is pigmented and easy to apply and since it is powder, it is not as messy. It can easily be layered with a cream blush too. For twenty eight dollars it is genuinely worth it and has quickly become a staple in my makeup routine, becoming my new favorite.Â
5.Fenty Cheeks Suede Waterproof Powder Blush
 This is an underrated product that I do not hear enough people talk about! I found this on the shelf at TJMaxx and I am so glad I did not pass on it. I have the shade WATTABRAT and it is a perfect hot pink shade. It is a product I like to use when I want a super blushy look and it has glitter in it, elevating my makeup. It reminds me of Zara Larsson’s looks, as colorful makeup is slowly making a comeback due to her tour. It is also twenty eight dollars, but I have found many of them in other stores like Marshalls and TJMaxx for cheaper.Â
Bye Blushes
1.Elf Camo Liquid Blush
I tried to like this blush, but it always missed the mark for me. I found that it was patchy and hard to blend. I felt like one dot was not enough for me, but if I added more it would be too pigmented or not blend well. The color range also is not my favorite, especially since they do not have a red shade. It is supposed to be a Rare Beauty dupe, but I think it is more worth it to buy the original as it is more reliable.Â
2.Milk Cooling Water Jelly Tint
This blush was trending when it was first released and I fell for the hype. While I think it is unique and an interesting concept, it did not work well for me. I liked the cooling aspect to it, but it was impossible to blend. Where you place it, it will stay. You have to have a really light hand to use it, making it hard to layer with other products. It is much more worth it to buy their cream one.Â
3.Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush
Again, this is another product I really wanted to like, but I ended up feeling like it fell short. I felt as though it did not stay on that long and the pigment was not as strong. I have the Rare Beauty blush brush, which they recommend using for this product. However, I felt like it did not pick up the product well, making me struggle with the application. I would stick to the liquid blush from this brand.