The Best Cream Blushes for '90s Rom-Com Energy

The best cream blushes are your cheat code for a healthy-looking glow any time of the year. Unlike most powders, these buttery cheek tints impart a radiant sheen to your skin that mimics the effects of an hour-long jog on the beach or a luxurious facial. On top of their dew-enhancing finishes, cream blushes tend to be more buildable (read: forgiving) than powder or liquid variations, so, if you suffer from blush blindness, a cream-based option is your key to a more natural-looking effect. Cream-based blushes have been popping up in brick-and-mortar and virtual shelves alike, but if you're curious to know which ones have made the Allure cut, keep scrolling.

Our Top Cream Blushes

• Best Overall: Ilia Multi-Stick, $36
• Best Applicator: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand, $42
• Best Splurge: Chanel Joues Contraste Intense Cream-to-Powder Blush, $55
• Best Sheer Finish: Merit Flush Balm, $30
• Best Satin Finish: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick, $48
• Best Matte Finish: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed, $25
• Best Dewy Finish: Jones Road Miracle Balm, $38

Best Overall: Ilia Multi-Stick

Why it's worth it: Ilia Multi-Stick's easy-wearing, buttery, and Allure Readers' Choice Award-winning formula is sure to be a hit with people of all skill levels. It just melts into your skin and has a realistic finish that doesn’t scream, “Hey, I’m absolutely wearing blush right now.”. Henney used the shade A Fine Romance (a bright berry) on Megan Fox while she was filming Till Death and tells Allure that the resulting healthy flush didn't budge after filming for 10 to 12 hours. In our testing, we found that this cream blush has a thicker, denser formula that works perfectly with a brush.

In case you needed more convincing, Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carola Gonzalez says that the brand's Multi-Sticks "are on another level." Her favorite shade is Lady Bird (a neutral rose), which she describes as "a mix of bronzer and burnt apricot." The cherry on top is the lovely finish, which she says isn't too oily, shimmery, or sheer—talk about the perfect, Goldilocks-like situation.

Best Applicator: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand

Why it's worth it: If there's one blush that's taken over just about every Allure editor's cheeks, it's the TikTok-viral Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand. Unlike many of the ultra-dewy blush formulas on the market, this four-shade liquid blush has a mattifying finish and a formula that's spiked with radiance-boosting silica spheres that create a more natural-looking, skin-like effect.

Tilbury herself told us that you should apply it to the tops of your cheekbones to lift the face. "Never start too low," she said. “It pulls your cheeks down.” During our testing, we were impressed by how pigmented it was, and the sponge tip makes it easy to dot onto skin before you blend it out.

Best Splurge: Chanel Joues Contraste Intense Cream-to-Powder Blush

Why it's worth it: For those who can't quit a classic compact, Chanel Joues Contraste Intense Cream-to-Powder Blush delivers a wash of color in a convenient format. The genius of the formula is that it offers the buttery feel of a cream blush with the extended wear of powder. We like the smooth, seamless feel, and have found that the formula makes it easy to customize the intensity: Use your fingers to apply a bolder pop of color, or buff it in with a brush for a sheerer finish.

Best Sheer Finish: Merit Flush Balm

Why it's worth it: Beauty lovers all over the Internet are just as in love with Merit's Flush Balm as we are. This smooth, pigmented balm melts onto skin to leave behind a soft hint of color and a touch of skin-moisturizing vitamin E. Bicoastal makeup artist Kirin Bhatty is a fan of this lightweight balm, attesting: “I love the sheer buildable texture and the gel-like application. Its dome shape makes for easy makeup application! I apply directly to the skin and blend out with fingertips.” No wonder this compact blush won an Allure Best of Beauty 2022 Award in our Clean category.

Best Satin Finish: Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick

Why it's worth it: Sometimes, makeup products can accentuate fine lines and wrinkles, but that won't be a problem when you swipe on Westman Atelier's Baby Cheeks Lip + Cheek Cream Blush Stick. This creamy, satin-finish blush contains moisture-replenishing ingredients like jojoba seed oil, antioxidant-rich grape extract, and raspberry seed extract that firm and condition skin for a smoother, suppler finish.

Best Matte Finish: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed

Why it's worth it: Danessa Myricks Beauty's Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed is a follow-up to the brand's Allure Best of Beauty Breakthrough-winning bi-phase formula, a.k.a., balm-to-powder foundation, so it's a given that we'd fall in love at first swipe. Just like its predecessor, this formula applies like a creamy balm and dries down to a powder-like matte texture for a more natural-looking flush. (That said, we found that it works best applied with a brush versus your fingertips, since it dries down like a powder.) The Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed’s stunning 7 shades also deserve a shoutout for their vibrant pigments that can be blended out for subtlety or layered for a dramatic effect.

Best Dewy Finish: Jones Road Miracle Balm

Why we love it: It's not like anyone needed to put makeup artist Bobbi Brown on the map, but this 2022 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner proved that her recent venture was yet another hit. The Jones Road Miracle Balm is one of our favorite products from the line, and for good reason: It has a glossy texture and just the slightest hint of shimmer, leaving skin glowing but not sticky or greasy. Plus, the tint is meant to be multipurpose, so you can use it however and wherever you please. The nourishing blend of jojoba seed oil, argan oil, and vitamin E ensures skin gets some TLC wherever you swipe it.

Other good cream blushes to consider

• To streamline your routine, look no further than Makeup by Mario's dual-ended Soft Pop Blush Stick. The other end features an angled buffing brush—detachable, too, for easy cleaning—designed with five raised nubs that guarantee the perfect amount of product pick-up and even application. Henney recommends the shade Raspberry for a fresh pop of color.
• If you want your blush to lend a sun-kissed look, try Stila Convertible Color Lip & Cheek Cream. Miami-based makeup artist Natalie Dresher reaches for the bronzer-esque shade Camelia for its ability to work as a dual-action blush and bronzer for light-to-medium skin tones. “It’s a beautiful peachy brown color and I love throwing a dab on the lips to complete a monochromatic look,” she says.
• Cream blushes aren't known for their staying power, but Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Cream Blush breaks the mold. This creamy blush compact is an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner for its satiny finish and no-budge formula that stays put from the moment you dab it on until it's time to wash off.
• Want your blush to double as a lip color? Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick comes in five shades that can be used as blush, lipstick, or both for a monochromatic effect. It blends like a dream and moisturizes with a desert date and baobab seed oils.

Frequently Asked Questions

It's all about your textural preferences, as both cream and powder blush formulas have their time and place. That said, cream blush formulas generally contain conditioning oils, making them comparatively more moisturizing than their powdery counterparts (take note, dry skin types), and won't disturb dry spots or highlight textured areas of the skin. These balmy, putty-like formulas don't highlight fine lines or seep into wrinkles like powder-based formulations, so they're also a great flush-enhancing alternative for mature skin types. While liquid blushes provide similar effects, creams have the advantage of a buildable, sheer-to-medium coverage formula, which isn’t as dramatically pigmented as liquids.

First, finding a complementary shade to your skin tone is key for a natural-looking finish. As a rule of thumb, Los Angeles-based makeup artist Carissa Ferreri previously told Allure that she recommends using a cream blush (or gel) formula in rosy tones. Once you find your shade of preference, it's time to dab on your cream-based blush. "Focus the blush a bit higher on the cheeks, like right under the eyes, and then diffuse any harsh lines," she explained. Joseph Carrillo, a makeup artist based in New York City, also suggests "smiling and applying the color in the center of the apples" before gently fading the edges.

While some come in stick form and others in pots, it's the same deal: Simply apply straight from the bullet and blend out with fingers, a beauty sponge, or a stippling blush brush for more precision. Whatever you do, it's hard to mess up, especially considering most cream blushes are on the sheerer (but buildable) side. If you've gone overboard with the intensity, you can always use your brush or sponge to diffuse the color.

• Tobi Henney, a bicoastal makeup artist
• Kirin Bhatty, a bicoastal makeup artist
• Carola Gonzalez, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Carissa Ferreri, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist
• Joseph Carrillo, a makeup artist based in New York City

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?