11 best blushes for a healthy, natural flush – tested across four complexions

We spent weeks testing brands from all corners of the make-up world - (The Independent)

Blush – once known as rouge – has been a staple in beauty routines far longer than modern essentials like bronzer and concealer. Its origins trace back to around 3000 BCE in ancient Egypt, where natural red clays were used to bring warmth and colour to the cheeks. While the tools and formulas have evolved since the age of hieroglyphics and sarcophagi, the desire to recreate a soft, natural flush remains just as timeless in 2026.

According to runway, editorial and celebrity make-up artist Florrie White (whose work you’ll have spotted on the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway), a good blush will “recreate a glow in the cheeks which naturally occurs when you are healthy, happy and/or exited by emotion or good fun and exertion”.