I was always a powder blush girl until probably the past couple years. There was a time where I just did not understand the appeal of a cream blush! I am not sure what happened. If I had to guess it would probably be some sort of combination of moving to the South (cream blushes seem to stay on better in the humidity?), dewy wet looking skin being so in vogue, and discovering Westman Atelier and the fact that every single product (but ESPECIALLY their cream blush sticks!) they make is magic. Powder blushes still have their place in my routine (you can pry my NARS Orgasm from my cold dead hands) but I have been reaching for creamy formulas more often than not.
Why I love them: Cream blushes are easy to apply. Their creamy texture can seamlessly blend with your skin. They’re buildable: the right shade can give you a natural looking flush. I have tried SO many good ones so today I wanted to dedicate a post to the ones I love much.
The best cream blushes
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in “Petal”
I could go on and on and on about my beloved Petal. She is my number one cream blush and an overall holy grail product. She is the prettiest natural looking rose color; managing to look good on absolutely everyone. Gucci Westman is an incredible makeup artist; she does all of the stars. And she does not play around, and I love that her products are formulated for every skin tone. I have seen so many makeup artists launch their own product lines with meh results… not this one! As mentioned above, the cream blush stick is my favorite but the whole line is gorgeous. And petal… petal is just the prettiest natural rosy flush I have encountered. It looks amazing on all skin tones, from the palest pale to dark skin.
I also want to add that I really love the texture of the baby cheeks sticks. It glides on really well; oftentimes I feel like cream blushes can drag a little bit but this glides on perfectly which is nice for us dry skinned gals. Out of all of the blushes I’ve featured, this one has the best texture.
RMS lip2cheek Cream Blush in “Smile”
Similar to Westman Atelier, I love everything that RMS makes. I have been a big fan of their cheek and lip tints for a long time now. The brand refers to Smile as “a modern sheer coral pink” and that’s exactly what this one is. It’s fresh and luminous. The best way to apply this is with your fingertips. Make sure your fingers are a little bit warm (rub your hands / fingers together) and then use your index and middle finger to just tap the product onto the tops of your cheeks. SO pretty. I filmed a reel with this one here!
Ilia Multi-Stick Cream Blush + Lip Tint in “In the Mood”
This one will a) remind you a lot of NARS Orgasm (an old fav!) and b) could almost be used as a highlighter. The “new” way to wear blush is higher up on your cheeks, making this the perfect combination of blush and highlighter. It is a golden peach pearl.
Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in “Minette”
This has that same amazing creamy formula (I felt a little badly highlighting two shades of the same product but truly: this blush stick is just so lovely!) but in a peachy pink. This one looks especially nice with a tan. It has a nice, fresh, hydrating finish.
Honest Co Creme Cheek + Lip Color in “Coral Peach”
This is a great affordable option, priced at just $15.99. The cheek and lip fits nicely into your purse, this is a fav on the go product as it has a mirror. The Coral Peach is a happy pop of coral (but not TOO bright, it’s really wearable!). Just a really pretty, easy product!
And a few honorable mentions…
Tower 28 Beach Please Lip + Cheek Cream Blush
I like Tower 28’s products a lot. (I like these blushes, but I LOVE their lip glosses) A while back, they sent me all of their products and the two blushes I liked most were happy hour (a bright pink) and magic hour, a really pretty rosy nude.
Glossier Cloud Paint
I really, really love Glossier Cloud Paint except it just doesn’t stay on as long as some of these. I also prefer stick form when possible, this one is a little bit messy. Friends with oily skin seem to swear by this one though, so it could be just because I am party lizard – I have such dry skin! I wrote a Glossier Cloud Paint review years back where I highlighted the full shade range. Dusk was my personal favorite.
Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush
This blush has such a lovely cream to powder finish. My favorite shade is the nearly rose, a really pretty pink! I love how the cream formula melts into the skin and then turns to a powder finish. If you do NOT want a dewy finish, this will be for you, it winds up being very matte!
Saie Beauty Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush in “Rosy.”
This blush from Saie is really highly pigmented, and the formula is clean, making it great for sensitive skin. I will literally only dab on a dot or two of this as it’s so concentrated – the color payoff is insane. I like all of the colors but “rosy” is my personal favorite. Dab on 1-2 dots, blend in, and you’ll get such a pretty natural flush.
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I SO wanted to switch from powder to cream blush. Had read multiple times better for my “over 50” dry skin because it would not settle into wrinkles. However…after trying several over a few weeks ( WA in Petal..beautiful color & the Selena Gomez one) it never stayed on longer than an hour…it was like my skin just drank it up. Tried using setting spray on top but that also did not work.
Oh man! I wonder if using a primer could help? That way your skin would soak up the primer and not the blush? If I see any tips on making them last longer I will report back!!!
Everyone always raves about those Westman Atelier blushes! One day I’ll get one! I’ve been worried that the mask will rub off a cream blush (I have a few but the color doesn’t seem to lay that long – but I know that masks rub off powder blush too, so who am I to say that 1 has less staying power?
In the thriftfluencer community I’ve seen some people talk about the cream clay blushes from MOB Beauty, and I really want to try them!
I know, I feel like masks just wreak havoc on makeup overall. Did you see this post from Cup of Jo? The “trend” is wearing it a little higher on the cheek so that might help! https://cupofjo.com/2022/03/22/blush-spring-trend-2022/
I love a cream blush or multi stick. Love Milk Makeup lip and cheek stick. They make them in mini size!
The minis are so cute!
Hi! How do you apply the WA blush stick? I’ve been using a brush bc I saw a video where Gucci did that, but I’m not sure I’m getting the best results. Thank you!
I just apply it directly to my skin and then blend in! Here is a reel where I use it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CaXMCgcA02Z/
I LOVE cream blushes now. I’ve really tried to simplify my makeup routine since Covid and got into lots of creams (so I don’t need as many brushes!) I bought the Saie blush when you reviewed the brand a few months ago (bronzer too!) and holy moly the color is intense! It was a bit of a learning curve but now I want to try all the brands.
It’s wild how much they’ve grown on me! Yes, the Saie is INTENSE! Like all you need is a little dot. I don’t think I will ever run out? There is definitely a learning curve but it was worth it. (And yessss to that bronzer, I love it so much!)