How To Find The Best Pink Blush
Finding the perfect pink blush can instantly elevate your makeup game, adding a fresh, radiant glow to your complexion. However, with the vast array of shades and formulas available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming.
After testing all kinds of pink blushes, I’ve learned a few tips along the way. After all, I am often on camera, don’t always have a makeup artist and have to do my own makeup most of the time! Achieving a natural glow is easier than ever with all the options you can find.
This guide will help you find the best pink blush shades, ensuring you pick the best shade for your skin tone and understand the pros and cons of cream, powder, and liquid blushes.
Also, don’t think you need to spend a fortune to get a fresh-faced look and youthful glow. I’ll share my top pink blush recommendations, from budget-friendly drugstore finds to luxurious retail store brands. Check out my favorite pink blushes so you can find the right blush color for you. After all, it’s an essential part of any makeup routine because a healthy glow brightens up the entire face.
Choosing the Best Pink Shade for Your Skin Tone
The first step when choosing a pink blush is knowing it’s not a one size fits all proposition. It’s crucial to understand your skin tone and undertone. Skin tones range from light to dark, while undertones can be cool, warm, or neutral.
Depending on how light or dark your skin is, here are the shades that tend to be the most flattering:
- Light Skin Tones: Opt for soft, pale pinks or peachy pinks. These shades complement fair skin without overwhelming it.
- Medium Skin Tones: Medium skin tones can go for deeper pinks, such as rose or mauve, which add a healthy flush without looking ashy.
- Dark Skin Tones: Vibrant, rich pinks or deep berry shades look stunning on darker skin tones, offering a pop of color that enhances the natural warmth.
What about skin undertones?
Understanding skin undertones is crucial in selecting the right shade of blush to complement and enhance your natural complexion. There are three primary undertones: cool, warm, and neutral. Here’s a breakdown of these undertones and the most flattering shades of pink blush for each. A simple way to determine your undertone is the vein test: if your veins appear blue or purple, you likely have cool undertones; green veins suggest warm undertones, and if it’s hard to tell even on bare skin, you’re probably neutral.
Cool Undertones
People with cool undertones typically have hints of blue or pink beneath their skin. They might burn easily under the sun and look great in silver jewelry.
Flattering pink blush shades for pink undertones:
- Light, icy pinks or soft rose shades enhance the natural flush of cool undertones.
- Mauve and berry tones can also complement cooler skin, adding a bit of warmth without clashing with their natural hue.
Warm Undertones
Those with warm undertones have a golden, peachy, or yellow glow. They often tan easily and look stunning in gold jewelry.
Flattering Pink Blush Shades:
- Peachy pinks and coral shades are ideal for yellow undertones, mirroring the natural warmth of the skin.
- Rich apricot or slightly bronzed pinks can also create a healthy, sun-kissed look.
Neutral Undertones
Neutral undertones are a mix of warm and cool tones, allowing for a wide range of colors. People with neutral undertones can wear both gold and silver jewelry well.
Flattering Pink Blush Shades:
- Neutral undertones have the flexibility to experiment with most pink shades, from soft peachy pinks to deeper mauve.
- Soft, muted pinks with a mix of peach and rose can look particularly flattering, providing a natural, effortless glow.
Cream, Powder, and Liquid Blush: Pros and Cons
There are so many blush formulations that it can be daunting to choose the best one. I’ve become a fan of cream, powder and liquid blush formulas after learning how to use them. However, if I am honest, powder formulas still seem to be the easiest to apply, especially if you are in a rush, like I tend to be. The new formulas in stick or pot form can also be very easy to use, but for best results I recommend using a synthetic brush.
- Cream Blush
- Pros: Cream blushes are great for dry skin, offering a dewy finish. They’re also blendable, have a creamy texture ,and can double as a lip color.
- Cons: They may not last as long on oily skin and can require more effort to blend seamlessly.
- Powder Blush
- Pros: Ideal for oily and combination skin types, powder blushes are easy to apply and have a long-lasting finish.
- Cons: They can appear cakey on dry skin and require a brush for application.
- Liquid Blush
- Pros: Liquid blushes provide a natural look and work well for all skin types. They’re easy to blend and offer buildable coverage.
- Cons: It can be easy to overapply, and they may require practice to achieve the desired intensity.
Top Pink Blush Recommendations
Here are the best blushes for all budgets:
Drugstore Finds
- Covergirl Trublend so Flushed High Pigment Blush – Love Me: Super affordable, great color payoff and a flattering rose pink.
- Maybelline New York Fit Me Blush in Pink – A universally flattering soft pink that offers a natural, radiant glow.
- Wet N Wild Megaglo Makeup Stick – Blush: a great stick blush that has a hint of shimmer to work as a blush and highlighter in one. It’s a peachy pink that’s perfect for Nars’ Orgasm blush fans.
- Milani Baked Blush: this is a great Nars dupe in Luminoso. Dolce Pink is also a gorgeous shade of pink.
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Putty Blush – Bora Bora: this cream blush can be applied with your fingers or a brush. It is very buildable and looks so natural.
- L’oreal Paris Infallible up to 24h Fresh Wear Blush Powder in Confident Pink: don’t be scared by this bright pink powder blush. It gives you such a pretty flushed look. Works great on medium to deep skin tones, too.
- Palladio Liquid Blush in Cool Pink or Dainty: this liquid blush melts into skin and looks amazing on your lips as well. Super affordable at under $10!
Luxury Brands
- NARS Blush in Orgasm – A cult favorite, this peachy-pink blush with golden shimmer is versatile and complements most skin tones.
- Patrick Ta Major Beauty Headlines Double Take Crème & Powder Blush: if you need to layer color for all day makeup, this blush duo is perfection since it has a cream and a powder blush in the same compact.
- Haus Labs Color Fuse Talc-Free Powder Blush in Dragon Fruit Daze: a cool pink that is flattering on everybody I have seen try it. Love that it doesn’t have talc.
- Dior Backstage Rosy Glow Blush – Pink: makeup artists and TikTokers love this pink blush for good reason. It is a beautiful shade of pink that is ultra flattering and it lasts all day.
- Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush – Happy: you only need a tiny dot of this cult favorite liquid blush to get a lovely flushed look. For best results, apply with the Rare Beauty blush brush.
- Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil – Perfect Pink: this subtle cream blush looks so natural that it become a staple in my makeup bag when it launched in 2023.
- Laura Geller Serum Blush Cheek Tint: this blush is beyond fabulous if you have dry or mature skin. It looks so pretty and is super easy to apply with the foam applicator. A little goes a long way.
- Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush – Crush on Cupid: another TikTok favorite, this cream blush is super blendable and is wonderful on darker skin tones.
- Urban Decay Cosmetics Hydromaniac Dewy Liquid Blush – Drippin’: this ultra pigmented liquid blush is wonderful for those seeking a great color payoff and long-lasting results.
- Merit Flush Balm Cream Blush – Beverly Hills: Clean beauty fans and minimalists will love this Merit cream blush, which feels so hydrating and looks so natural.
- Ilia Beauty Multi-Stick: this multipurpose stick has a clean formulation and blends beautifully into your skin.
- Jones Road Lip & Cheek Stick: another great product from Bobbi Brown’s newest makeup line. It’s great for dry and mature skin, as is thie fan favorite Miracle Balm.
Tips for Application
The goal is to have a natural flush of color, so once you find the perfect shade of pink, it’s important to know how to apply it.
- Use the Right Tools: Fingers work well for cream and liquid blushes, while a fluffy brush is best for powders.
- Start Light and Build: It’s easier to add more color than to take it away. Start with a light hand and build intensity as needed.
- Consider Your Face Shape: Apply blush on the apples of the cheeks and blend outwards, adjusting placement based on your face shape to enhance your features. Makeup artists like Erika Taylor recommend women over 40 or with mature skin place blush a little higher than the apples to give your face a fresh look and a more lifted appearance.
By understanding your skin tone and undertones, selecting the right formula, and experimenting with application techniques, you can achieve a radiant, healthy-looking complexion with different shades of pink blushes. Whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge, there’s a pink blush out there for everyone.