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Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/p>\nAccordionItemContainerButton<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDon\u2019t forget: Application matters just as much. Layering, strategic placement, and using the right tools can mean the difference between a vibrant, skin-like flush and a look that disappears by midday. We know this involves plenty of trial and error, so we’re helping you skip it. With insight from professional makeup artists and Allure<\/em> editors, we\u2019ve rounded up the best blushes across creams, powders, balms, and liquids that consistently deliver without caking or fading.<\/p>\nBest Overall:<\/strong> Danessa Myricks Yummy Blurring Balm Flushed<\/h2>\n\n
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Danessa Myricks Beauty<\/p>\n
Yummy Blurring Balm Flushed<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why we love it:<\/strong> If you want intense color, Danessa Myricks\u2019 Yummy Blurring Balm Flushed earns its keep fast. This hybrid balm-powder formula delivers rich pigment with a soft-matte payoff that blurs the look of pores and smooths uneven skin. The texture starts creamy and then sets down into a blurred finish. The rich Red Velvet shade is especially strong here; it\u2019s a true, blue-leaning red that shows up immediately, then builds cleanly. You can sheer it out for a flushed effect or layer it into a saturated statement cheek. That versatility comes down to the formula: Upsalite does the heavy lifting by absorbing excess oil and sweat while maintaining hydration, which is why the finish stays soft-focus instead of cakey. Olive-derived squalane and hyaluronic acid keep the formula flexible, allowing it to move with the skin rather than sit on top of it.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> editor in chief Jessica Cruel applying Danessa Myricks Yummy Blurring Balm Flushed in Primadonna<\/p>\n<\/span>Jessica Cruel<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nCruel after applying Danessa Myricks Yummy Blurring Balm Flushed in Primadonna<\/p>\n
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“No Danessa Myricks slander will be tolerated in my presence! Especially when I am wearing the Blurring Balm Flushed. As someone born in the ’80s, blush is something I can’t live without. This one has an Allure<\/em> Best of Beauty award, and I personally lobbied for it because it’s the only cream formula that I trust. It applies like a cream but dries down with the staying power of a powder. The pigment is powerful, not splotchy. It feels silky on the skin, not cakey. This Primadonna shade works on most brown skin tones, from caramel to coffee. One warning: If you are prone to blush blindness (like me), use a light touch. An overzealous hand can leave you looking like Ziggy Stardust.” \u2014Jessica Cruel, editor in chief<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\nBlush type:<\/strong> balm-powder hybrid<\/li>\nFinish:<\/strong> matte<\/li>\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> upsalite, olive-derived squalane, hyaluronic acid<\/li>\nOur shade recs:<\/strong> Primadonna, Red Velvet<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Dewy Finish:<\/strong> Haus Labs Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick<\/h2>\n\n
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Haus Labs<\/p>\n
Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why we love it:<\/strong> Haus Labs’ Color Fuse Glassy Blush Balm Stick delivers buildable pigment with a dewy finish, leaving skin looking flushed and plump. The balm melts into the skin with a serum-like slip, immediately boosting hydration to keep the finish smooth and even throughout the day. That’s thanks to 70% skin-care actives, including fermented arnica to calm redness and goji berry complex to visibly plump. For deeper complexions, the best blush stick shades from Haus Labs include Glassy Cinnamon, a beige-peach shade that creates a softly lit effect, and Glassy Cayenne, a richer rose shade that adds depth and contrast.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Haus Labs Blush Balm<\/p>\n<\/span>Jailynn Taylor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nTaylor after applying the Haus Labs Blush Balm<\/p>\n
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\u201cMost cream blushes either fade too fast or take too much work to blend, and this one doesn\u2019t. The Haus Labs Blush Balm Stick goes on in one swipe for me, then melts into my skin so I can sheer it out or build it without disturbing the rest of my makeup. It feels genuinely hydrating and keeps my cheeks looking smooth and dewy while still wearing well throughout the day. I also love the travel-friendly tube, it feels luxe, sturdy, and easy to toss in my bag for touchups or for a flush of color across my lips. Glassy Cayenne is my go-to because its subtle bronzing warmth works as a blush when I place it higher or a soft bronzer when I wear it lower.\u201d \u2014Jailynn Taylor, contributor<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\nBlush type:<\/strong> cream balm<\/li>\nFinish:<\/strong> dewy<\/li>\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> fermented arnica, goji berry complex, fermented shiunko<\/li>\nOur shade recs:<\/strong> Glassy Cinnamon, Glassy Cayenne<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Buildable Blush:<\/strong> Rhode Pocket Blush<\/h2>\n\n
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Why we love it:<\/strong> The Rhode Pocket Blush stands out for its buildable application across different skin tones. The cream formula allows you to add color gradually and diffuse as needed for either a bolder look or a natural flush. Tiller says it\u2019s also \u201ceasy to reapply throughout the day, and it works well on top of your powders.\u201d The application is intentionally simple, and it can also be used on the lips for a monochromatic moment. \u201cI love to apply this with my fingertips. It leaves you with just enough of a sheer glow,\u201d he says. On brown skin, that sheer-to-buildable payoff shines in shades like Toasted Teddy, a bronzy terracotta that adapts across undertones, and Date Cake, a toasted berry shade that looks rich and multi-dimensional.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> associate beauty editor Annie Blay-Tettey applying the Rhode Pocket Blush<\/p>\n<\/span>Annie Blay-Tettey<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nBlay-Tettey after applying the Rhode Pocket Blush<\/p>\n
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\u201cI love a no-makeup makeup look, and when I need just a touch of color to bring my complexion to life, I reach for the Rhode Pocket Blush in the shade Toasted Teddy. I love how the dark terracotta shade complements my skin tone and gives me a pretty, sun-flushed look. Plus, the creamy texture is easy to blend out, and the pocket-size stick makes it great for on-the-go application.\u201d \u2014Annie Blay-Tettey, associate beauty editor<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\nBlush type:<\/strong> cream<\/li>\nFinish:<\/strong> satin<\/li>\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> glycerin, calophyllum inophyllum seed (tamanu) oil<\/li>\nOur shade recs:<\/strong> Toasted Teddy, Date Cake<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Liquid Blush:<\/strong> Armani Beauty Cheek Tint Longwear Liquid Blush<\/h2>\n\n
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Armani Beauty<\/p>\n
Cheek Tint Longwear Liquid Blush<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Why we love it:<\/strong> It\u2019s no surprise that Armani Beauty\u2019s Cheek Tint Longwear Liquid Blush is a 2024 Allure<\/em> Best of Beauty Award winner, thanks to how adaptable it is across both fair and deeper skin tones. The lightweight texture melts into skin, allowing pigment to be built or sheered out without patchiness. Tiller is unequivocal, saying it\u2019s \u201ceasily one of [his] favorite cream blush options.\u201d \u201cShade Flaming Red is the G.O.A.T., in my opinion, of blushes for brown skin,\u201d Tiller adds. \u201cWhether you have a lighter tone or you\u2019re deeper, this will look gorgeous on you.\u201d Achieving a natural-looking finish requires just a dot of product, while the brand’s Micro-fil technology ensures even color that takes you from day to night\u2014no reapplication needed.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/p>\nAllure<\/em> senior editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying Armani Cheek Tint Longwear Liquid Blush in Flaming Red<\/p>\n<\/span>Jesa Marie Calaor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/p>\nCalaor after applying Armani Cheek Tint Longwear Liquid Blush in Flaming Red<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve always shied away from red blush, as it can quickly look intense. (There\u2019s a fine line between a sexy, demure flush and looking like you\u2019re performing at a kid\u2019s party with a squeaky red nose.) But this blush changed my mind about fiery tones. Yes, it\u2019s pigmented (so applying it gradually is key), but it blends beautifully into a natural-looking \u2018I just had a really great date\u2019 kind of flush. It sets in place for hours, too\u2014lasting through that date and whatever might follow.\u201d \u2014Jesa Marie Calaor, senior editor<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\nBlush type:<\/strong> liquid<\/li>\nFinish:<\/strong> natural<\/li>\nKey ingredients:<\/strong> N\/A<\/li>\nOur shade recs:<\/strong> Flaming Red<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBest Matte Finish:<\/strong> Tower 28 GetSet Blur + Set Matte Powder Blush<\/h2>\n\n
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Tower 28<\/p>\n
GetSet Blur + Set Matte Powder Blush<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n