As far as we’re concerned, blush is the MVP of any makeup routine. Didn’t get enough sleep? A touch of color on your cheeks can do wonders for your overall complexion. Don’t feel like doing a full face but want a little somethin’ somethin’? A pop of pink should suffice. And whereas we used to be limited to powder blushes that could easily veer into clown territory, we now have liquid formulas that are much more forgiving and longer lasting than its predecessors. Ahead, 16 of the best liquid blushes to suit every skin type and level of desired glow.
The Best Liquid Blush for Every Skin Type (and Level of Desired Glow)
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Published May 12, 2022
Best Liquid Blushes at a Glance:
- Best Overall: NARS Liquid Blush in “Orgasm”
- Best Luxury: Armani Beauty Neo Nude A-Line Liquid Blush
- Best Drugstore: NYX Professional Makeup Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint Blush
- Longest Lasting: Freck Cheek Slime
- Best Shade Range: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
- Best for Dry Skin: MILK MAKEUP Bionic Liquid Blush
- Best Clean Option: Olio E Osso Tinted Balm
- Best for Oily Skin: Glossier Cloud Paint
- Best for Mature Skin: Chantecaille Cheek Gelée Hydrating Gel-Cream Blush
- Best Pigmentation: ILIA Color Haze Multi-Use Pigment
- Best for a Subtle Finish: Perricone MD No Makeup Blush
- Best for Glow: Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand
- Best Multitasker: Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision Flush Blush, Eyeshadow and Lip Color
- Best Applicator: The Crémé Shop Trés Cheek Cushion Blush
- Most Universal: Youthforia BYO Blush Color Changing Blush Oil
- Editor Favorite: Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush
1. Best Overall
The iconic blush is a longtime favorite among celebs, makeup artists and editors alike thanks to its universally flattering color. A peachy-pink hue with a soft, shimmery finish, it bestows just the right amount of flush to your skin every time. (It’s no wonder it had a recent resurgence of popularity on TikTok.)
2. Armani Beauty Neo Nude A-line Liquid Blush
Best Luxury
Everything from the sleek packaging to the watercolor-like texture of this blush feels luxurious to the touch. With a sheer pigment that blends into your skin at the slightest tap, it’s impossible to overdo.
3. Nyx Professional Makeup Sweet Cheeks Soft Cheek Tint Blush
Best Drugstore
Leave it to NYX to nail liquid blush (and somehow keep the price under ten bucks). Use the doe-foot applicator to dot on the highly pigmented formula and blend it out for a lasting pop of color that wakes up your entire face.
4. Freck Cheek Slime
Longest Lasting
Speaking of pigment, this highly saturated blush gives you color for days—or at least until you wash your face at night. All you need is a drop of the gel-like formula to get that fresh-faced flush you’re after. (Tip: For best results, blend quickly because once it sets, it sets.)
5. Rare Beauty By Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Best Shade Range
With 11 shades in both matte and dewy finishes, you can easily find a match for your skin tone and desired finish. No matter which one you choose, you’ll be delighted by its super pigmented formula and creamy texture.
6. Milk Makeup Bionic Liquid Blush
Best for Dry Skin
This oil-based formula is especially forgiving on parched complexions. Loaded with shea butter and jojoba seed oil as well as snow mushroom and hyaluronic acid, the moisture boosting blush can be blended out sheer or layered on for a bolder look.
7. Olio E Osso Tinted Balm
Best Clean Option
If ingredients are of concern to you, we recommend this twist-up tint that’s as unfussy in its ingredients as it is in its application. With a shea nut and olive oil base and zero parabens or preservatives to speak of, it glides on smoothly and melts into your skin upon application. All that’s left behind is a fresh veil of color that smells vaguely of grapefruit.
8. Glossier Cloud Paint
Best for Oily Skin
Does your makeup tend to slide off your face by mid-afternoon? Try this long-lasting cheek stain from Glossier. The gel-cream formula packs a ton of color with the tiniest dab and leaves your cheeks flushed and never streaky.
9. Chantecaille Cheek Gelée Hydrating Gel-cream Blush
Best for Mature Skin
Ever since we gifted our mom a tube of this blush years ago, she routinely asks for another whenever she’s close to running out. According to her that’s because it “feels silky going on and doesn’t cling to fine lines like some other blushes do.”
10. Ilia Color Haze Multi-use Pigment
Best Pigmentation
Note: The color comes on strong at first. Rest assured, it becomes sheerer as you blend it in, at which point it melts into your skin for the most seamless finish. You can also tap a little onto your lips while you’re at it for a coordinated look.
11. Perricone Md No Makeup Blush
Best for a Subtle Finish
Just a couple finger taps blend this blush out into a sheer wash of color that makes your face look more alive without necessarily looking like you’re wearing makeup. (Hence, the name.)
12. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand
Best for Glow
Though it’s technically billed a highlighter, some of the tinted variations like “Peachgasm” and “Pinkgasm” can double as a subtle blush. With a built-in cushion applicator and a smooth, blendable texture, it leaves your skin effortlessly radiant.
13. Danessa Myricks Beauty Vision Flush Blush, Eyeshadow And Lip Color
Best Multitasker
If your makeup M.O. is "one and done," you'll love this versatile color. Swipe it over your cheeks, lips and eyelids for an all-over monochromatic glow in minutes.
14. The Créme Shop Trés Cheek Cushion Blush
Best Applicator
Toss this compact into your purse for a quick glow-on-the-go anytime you need some color. To use, simply press the enclosed sponge down over the cushion to dispense a small amount of liquid blush onto its surface, then tap it over your cheeks for an instant flush.
15. Youthforia Byo Blush Color Changing Blush Oil
Most Universal
Don’t be alarmed by the green tint of this TikTok-famous blush. The shade-shifting hue reacts to your skin's natural pH as you blend it in, resulting in the perfect shade for your cheeks every time.
16. Saie Dew Blush Liquid Cheek Blush
Editor Favorite
We can’t get enough of Saie these days. The buzzy clean beauty brand is known for its easy-to-wear (and thus, impossible to mess up) tinted moisturizer, and their blush is equally dreamy to apply. The water-based gel formula blends in impeccably, without leaving behind the slightest patch or streak.
