As makeup goes, blush is by far the most forgiving and universally flattering.
Whether you’re a beauty novice or have a black belt in makeup, this one product can transform skin from looking tired and knocked out, to straight-up knock out.
Best used in tandem with concealer or a BB cream for an easy everyday look, blush comes in four major forms. There’s pressed powder, cream, gel or mousse and liquid.
While powder is great for helping to set makeup at the same time, it’s the enemy of the dewy skin ideal that occupies the beauty top spot, no matter what the trends are at the time. For that youthful glow, our money’s on cream, gel and liquid blush.
Liquid in particular is an excellent option, and can be used sparingly to give just a gentle wash of colour that’s easily buildable from day and into the evening. It can also appear more natural, as you’ll be dabbing spots of colour on the apples of your cheeks before swiping up the temples for a look that mimics your natural flush. And in terms of value-for-money, a little goes a long way with liquid blush: you won’t need to replace your tube of radiance for a while.
We’ve rounded up the best liquid blush, from fresh drops to longtime best-sellers below.
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Glossier Cloud Paint
A cult favourite since it launched, you can’t go wrong with a tube of Glossier’s Cloud Paint in your beauty back pocket. The sheer formula makes it almost impossible to go overboard and special blurring pigments in the blush offer a pleasing soft-focus effect. The cruelty-free tube comes in eight shades from Beam - a soft peach, to Storm - a warm rose that will suit darker skin tones. Expect a lit-from-within glow that makes it look like you live in golden hour.
Buy now £17.00, Glossier
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Using liquid blushes can be a messy affair if you don’t know what you’re doing. Unless you’ve got your hands on Charlotte Tilbury’s latest launch, the Matte Beauty Blush Wand, which comes with a built-in applicator. Squeeze to release a dot of colour straight into the puff, dab once on each of your cheeks and then blend until the colour is seamless.
The Wand comes in four dreamy tones to suit a range of complexions. Stash in your bag for top-ups when needed; it’s slim enough to slide into the daintiest of clutches.
Buy now £30.00, Charlotte Tilbury
ICONIC London Sheer Blush 12.5ml
Best known for glowy, glam makeup, ICONIC offers an instant skin boost in its sheer blush, available in six shades. The pigment may look rich when squeezed out of the tube, but it quickly melts on the skin, leaving behind a light veil of colour that looks oh-so natural and is easily buildable. The formula offers variety and can be used as a lip tint too.
Buy now £16.80, Sephora
KVD Beauty ModCon Liquid-Gel Blush
We’ve never met a KVD beauty product we didn’t like, and this liquid blush is no exception. It glides on like a dream, won’t disturb foundation and will leave skin looking subtly flushed and hydrated until you take it off. It even works on oily skin; simply use a setting powder before application and marvel at its staying power.
Buy now £25.00, Boots
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Liquid Blush 15ml
For stay-all-day colour, look to Daniel Sandler’s little pots of watercolour blush. If they seem daunting to use, best to stick to the brand’s method. Apply the liquid formula to an angled brush first, then paint from your temples/ cheekbones towards the apple of your cheeks, rather than the reverse. This is so that the heavier colour can be blended outwards towards your face’s edges; if you apply a loaded brush to your apples first, you risk getting too much product there first.
Go slow with one drop on the brush bristles first, adding more if needed. Available in six rosy tones.
Buy now £12.92, Sephora
VIEVE Sunset Blush Balm
Want to fake butter-wouldn’t-melt innocence? VIEVE is the brand to know - this Sunset Blush Balm comes in four shades, each giving a dreamy radiance that you usually only see at dusk. It’s not all about the colour though, the blush is packed with skin-nourishing ingredients so that it does good while looking good too.
Buy now £21.00, Space NK
MILK Makeup Bionic Blush
A rosy glow to the cheeks can mask all sorts of past sins, from late nights to not quite hitting your five-a-day for fruit and veg. In times like these, reach for MILK’s mighty Bionic Blush to blast away the cobwebs and leave you looking fresh.
As well as infusing your cheeks with a pop of colour, the formula contains vegan collagen, mushroom and hyaluronic acid to leave skin looking plump, nourished and bouncy. Part skincare, part makeup, one dot on each cheek is enough to leave you with a spring in your step. Available in four shades.
Buy now £21.00, Space NK
Milani Cheek Kiss Liquid Blush 10.8ml
Here for a good time, not a long time, Milani’s liquid blush gives you the sort of flush last seen in your teens when that certain someone walked past. Creamy, blendable and super buildable, there are seven shades to pick from with the bonus that they can be used to stain lips and bring rosy colour to eyelids too.
Buy now £11.00, Boots
Chantecaille Cheek Gelée
With vivid pigments and the longevity of a stain, cheeks will get the breath of fresh air they need courtesy of Chantecaille. The 22ml tube lasts ages as the formula works best sparingly, and leaves behind a delicate tint that’s buildable by the layer. You can even use it as a highlighter for date nights to enhance your overall glow.
Buy now £43.00, Liberty
BY TERRY Brightening CC limited-edition liquid blush 7g
With a brush built into this liquid blush tube, it’s one less thing to remember to put in your makeup bag. From French brand BY TERRY, this pretty, radiance-giving blush brush is packed with soft colour and ingredients like white rose stem cells to boost your natural glow, giving a youthful-looking dewy glow. The limited edition blush comes in two shades.
Buy now £32.00, lookfantastic
