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Nothing Lends a Natural Glow Quite Like Liquid Blush
While there are tons of powder and cream blushes we adore, the best liquid blushes set themselves apart thanks to their super pigmented, buildable, blendable, and breathable formulas. Upon first swipe, they lend a particularly natural flush—but with each layer, they offer exponential rosiness. Better yet, many liquid blushes are infused with skin-loving ingredients, such as moisturizing glycerin, conditioning shea butter, and antioxidant-rich aloe.
Still need convincing? Some also double as lip and/or eye tints. From up-and-comers to classics, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best liquid blushes, handpicked by Allure editors and makeup artists to make your cheeks bloom.
Our Top Liquid Blushes
- Best Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Cheek Tint, $39
- Best Buildable: Anastasia Beverly Hills Blurring Serum Blush, $25
- Best Matte: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand, $42
- Best Semi-Matte: Saie Dew Blush, $26
- Best Light-Reflecting: MAC Strobe Beam Liquid Blush, $30
- Best Long-Lasting: Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush, $36
- Best Splurge: Chanel Les Beiges Liquid Blush, $52
- Best Drugstore: ColourPop Liquid Blush, $10
- Best Color Payoff: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, $25
- Most Versatile: Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Rose Lip & Cheek Tint, $26
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Cheek Tint
Why it’s worth it: Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Cheek Tint is a Sabrina Carpenter favorite (as confirmed by the singer’s very own makeup artist), and for good reason. The long-lasting, lightweight, silky blush stays put for 12 hours and comes in six glorious hues. A little goes a long way when it comes to this Best of Beauty-winner. All it takes is a dot or two of product (although, if you’d like a more impactful look, feel free to double down) atop the apples of your cheeks, high points of your jaw, and your nose, if you please, and a clean finger for blending out. For even more glowiness, you can layer this stuff with Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk Glow Blush.
“I love blush! I’m probably blush blind, but I don’t care, and you can’t stop me. Armani’s Liquid Silk Blush is one of my favorites—it’s not super sheer (which I love because when I’m wearing blush, I want people to know!) but blends easily, so I think it’s a great formula for beginners because it’s forgiving. I’m wearing Delicate Mauve, which is, to date, the most perfect dusty pink shade I’ve found for my particular skin tone. If I could wave a wand and naturally produce that shade on my cheeks, I would, but until then, I’ll stick to wearing this blush pretty much every day.”—Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
- Key ingredients: vitamin E, dimethicone
- Finish: silky
- Shades: 6
Best Buildable: Anastasia Beverly Hills Blurring Serum Blush
Why it’s worth it: With a skill set that extends far beyond the brow, the good people at Anastasia Beverly Hills blessed us with this Blurring Serum Blush—a buildable, fast-drying, liquid blush that fits every mood. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King previously told Allure that the product’s quick drying time can be attributed to a combination of silica and isododecane. Once your first layer sets, you can go back in with a few more drops and blend out. Plus, this stuff is an a-little-goes-a-long-way champ, according to senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor, who wrote, “I’ve been using just a few dots of the stuff each day and don’t feel like I’ve made a dent in the tube.”
Tester feedback from shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis
“This blush is pure magic—light as air, hydrating like skin care (shoutout to the glycerin in it!), and it melts into my skin for the perfect ‘just blushed’ look. It’s like my cheeks got a filter upgrade, and it actually stays put all day.” — Angela Trakoshis, shopping market editor
- Key ingredients: niacinamide, pomegranate peel extract
- Finish: sheer
- Shades: 5
Best Matte: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Why it’s worth it: The Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand is viral inside and outside the Allure offices for its stunning matte finish. Like the brand’s best-selling Beauty Light Wands, the Beauty Blush Wands have a circular-shaped sponge applicator: Simply dot, blend, et voila. Choose from four shades: Pink Pop (classic pink), Peach Pop (peachy-nude), and Dream Pop (cherry-pink cross).
“When I want a blush that’s going to melt right onto my skin, I reach for the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk Pink Pop. Although it’s a matte formula, it plays well with creamy base products, blending easily to give me a pink-peachy glow.” — Kara McGrath, content director
- Key ingredients: silica spheres, mica
- Finish: matte
- Shades: 4
Best Semi-Matte: Saie Dew Blush
Why it’s worth it: According to Florida-based makeup artist Allison Kaye, Saie’s Dew Blush “blends out like a dream,” and a little product pulls a lot of weight. Its water-based, gel-cream formula offers a creamy yet buildable texture for the perfect flush of color. Ingredient highlights include nourishing glycerin and antioxidant-loaded staples like licorice and elderberry extracts. The TikTok-viral blush comes in six gorgeous shades, the most popular being Chilly (a cool-toned mauve pictured above).
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I love a bold blush, so Saie’s super-pigmented formula is my go-to. It looks intense when you first dab it on—and I quickly learned how to have a light hand—but always blends out to a pretty wash of color.” — Deanna Pai, contributing commerce editor
- Key ingredients: glycerin, licorice root extract, elderberry extract
- Finish: semi-matte
- Shades: 8
Best Light-Reflecting: MAC Strobe Beam Liquid Blush
Why it’s worth it: MAC’s Strobe Beam Liquid Blush is a highly pigmented, punchy liquid pick that applies smoothly and lasts for a long time. The tiny dot of the formula yields big results—a buildable, irridescent rosiness (or beigeiness, or orangeness, depending on the hue you choose) that grips your cheeks and works nicely as underpaint for a glow beneath base makeup, or stand-alone brightness. You can blend out with your finger or a fluffy blush brush.
“The first few times I used this stuff, I got scared—it was so pigmented that it doesn’t take much to overdo it. However, once I figured out just how much to apply, it became my favorite liquid blush. Depending on how much you dot on, you can get the perfect subtle flush or a very glam pop of color. I prefer blending out with a brush, and making sure my skin is moisturized first, because it’s not the easiest to distribute across skin.” —Annie Blackman, contributor
- Key ingredients: glycerin
- Finish: iridescent
- Shades: 10
Best Long-Lasting: Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush
Why it’s worth it: “This formula is incredible,” New York City-based makeup artist Karol Rodriguez says of the Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush. “The finish is similar to the texture of a blurred lip; it’s soft and velvety,” adding that it’s really “such a pigmented and liquid blush.” Allure content director Kara McGrath is another fan of the formula, which won a 2024 Best of Beauty Award. “It’s become my go-to for high heat and humidity days because I find it stays in place for longer than any of the other cream or liquid formulas in my current collection,” she said in her review. You can count on this blush to stay put for up to 12 hours, and, with the addition of hyaluronic acid, your cheeks get a welcome dose of hydration.
Tester feedback from former commerce writer Jen Hussein
“The Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush is super pigmented, so one drop of its light, serum-like formula is all I need for a glowy, radiant flush. This hyaluronic acid-spiked blush has a similar texture to a lightweight skin tint and stays put throughout the day like a stain.” — Jen Hussein, former commerce writer
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, white lupin seed extract
- Finish: sheer, buildable
- Shades: 7
Best Splurge: Chanel Les Beiges Liquid Blush
Why it’s worth it: As per, we’re blushing over all things Chanel, like this elegant bottle of Les Beiges Liquid Blush. The formula uses MicroFluidic Technology (okay, science!), meaning that, upon application, you can see little droplets of pigment before they promptly melt into the skin. The aesthetic power of the neutral pink shade range is complemented by skin-loving, hydrating tamarind seed extract.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“I always want my blush to pop, whether that’s immediate or via a buildable formula. Chanel’s Les Beiges Water-Fresh Blush is somehow both—on one hand, it’s made out of 75% water, but my shade of choice (Intense Coral) is surprisingly pigmented upon initial application. That being said, you can very easily diffuse/tone down with a brush or sponge and then add layers as needed. Makeup is a sensory process for me, and the physical act of breaking apart the micro-droplet pigments contributes to the joy I get from doing my makeup.” — Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: tamarind seed extract, glycerin
- Finish: sheer
- Shades: 6
Best Color Payoff: Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Rare Beauty
Soft Pinch Liquid Blush
Why it’s worth it: Selena Gomez ate when she whipped up Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, which has racked up several Readers’ Choice and Best of Beauty Awards. Not only is it a bona fide Allure-editor favorite, but it’s an internet sensation, too. Available in matte and radiant, highly-pigmented finishes, the liquid blush is accompanied by a generous doe-foot applicator, whose praises are sung by New Jersey-based makeup artist Sara Talias. Take your pick of 13 hues, including Grateful (a candy-colored red), Faith (a matte dark purple), and Lucky (hot pink).
- Key ingredients: sunflower seed oil, lotus flower extract, mica
- Finish: matte, dewy
- Shades: 13
Best Drugstore: ColourPop Liquid Blush
Why it’s worth it: Colourpop’s Liquid Blush brings on the glow with a 14-shade range of super-affordable favorites. The super-light-wearing formula is available in a classic, matte finish, as well as a pearlescent one, which adds a lovely touch of shine to your flush. It’s nicely creamy, layers with ease, and wears for up to eight hours. The blendability is enhanced by hydrators such as hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, sea moss, and niacinamide. Best $10 ever spent? Possibly yes.
- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, polyglutamic acid, sea moss, niacinamide
- Finish: pearlescent, matte
- Shades: 14
Most Versatile: Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Rose Lip & Cheek Tint
Benefit Cosmetics
Benetint Rose Lip & Cheek Tint
Why it’s worth it: Benefit Cosmetics’ Benetint Rose Lip & Cheek Tint has a fascinating history that dates back over 40 years (fun fact: it was initially created as a nipple tint). Today, the multi-use cheek stain is famous for its sheer, natural finish and non-drying formula. Its signature rosy hue can easily be applied to the lips and cheeks via a user-friendly doe-foot applicator.
Tester feedback from Blackman
“When in doubt, I reach for my trusty bottle of Benetint,” says contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman. “It’s by far the longest-lasting option in my arsenal, and the color can do no wrong.” She warns, however, to blend quickly to avoid a concentrated, no-budge splotch. She also has a bottle of orangey-pink Floratint. — Blackman, contributor
- Key ingredients: N/A
- Finish: sheer
- Shades: 6
Frequently Asked Questions
How are liquid blushes different from other blushes?
Kaye explains that liquid blushes have a thinner and lighter consistency than powders and creams. Thanks to their buildability, it’s safe to say that liquid blushes are most straightforward to blend, though fair warning: A little goes a very long way.
How should I apply a liquid blush?
New York City-based makeup artist Tobi Henney recommends starting with the apples of your cheeks and blending upward. Conversely, “if you want a more sun-kissed effect, you can lightly apply across the bridge of the nose where the sun would naturally hit the face,” she says. There are also several other blush techniques, including the TikTok-famous “W” application trick, in which you apply blush in the shape of a “W” where the sun would naturally hit.
No matter the application technique you opt for, Kaye recommends applying the liquid blush directly from the applicator onto the cheeks before blending with a foundation brush or makeup sponge. Alternatively, dab the product into your skin with your fingers for a more natural finish. Another tip—NYC-based makeup artist Joseph Carrillo previously told Allure that “liquid and serum blushes blend better on hydrated skin, giving a smooth and even application.”
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best liquid blushes, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we can fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
