This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.
I’m not going to lie: there is a huge part of me that is incredibly glad I only truly discovered the power of a good blusher recently. If I had fallen in love with it any sooner, my blush collection would be completely out of control!
Instead, I spent years obsessing over highlighter (meaning my highlighter drawer is currently overflowing, but we won’t talk about that…). Because I finally got into blush around the same time I put myself on a strict makeup low-buy, I’ve managed to keep my collection relatively small, curated, and strictly limited to formulas that actually work.
If you are currently on the hunt for the best blush for pale skin, or you are trapped in the ultimate debate of cream vs powder blush, I’ve got you covered. From viral high-street heroes to luxury vanity splurges, here is a completely honest look inside my collection, complete with swatches.
The Powder Formulas: Pigment & Staying Power
For days when I want a classic finish or an extra pop of colour, powder is my go-to. My collection features a mix of a famous drugstore classic and some incredible indie beauty staples.
Milani | Baked Blush Luminoso
As soon as I realised that I like blush, I wanted to try a classic. My mind went straight to this one, as I’ve heard Luminoso mentioned countless times in the beauty community. It seemed like everybody loved this blush, so I had to give it a try.
Luminoso is a classic coral blush with a very fine gold shimmer running through it. It is extremely shimmery, and while it’s actually the one I currently use the least in my collection, looking at it now makes me excited to try it out again as I must admit, it looks stunning.
Jolie Beauty | Second Skin Powder Blusher Rendezvous
This product was gifted, but all opinions are my own.
This blush is one of the ones I wear the most because I find it very flattering on my pale skin. Rendezvous is a pale pink with a matte finish that never falls flat. It’s also incredibly pigmented, so it’s best to go in with a small amount on your brush and slowly build it up. If you’re pale and not sure where to turn for a good everyday blush, I’d really recommend this one.
Jolie Beauty | Second Skin Powder Blush Flushed
This product was gifted, but all opinions are my own.
I tend to reach for this shade when I’ve fake tanned, or during the summer months, as I find that it’s a little too strong on my pale skin in the colder winter months. Flushed is a vibrant peachy coral that is incredibly pigmented; which means, just like Rendezvous, it’s best to start small and build it up. It has a gorgeous matte finish and lasts all day on the cheeks.
I actually have a full review dedicated to both of the Jolie blushes if you’re interested in hearing more about the formula!
The Luxury Splurge: The All-In-One Holy Grail
Sometimes a blush is so exceptional, it completely justifies the price of a luxury face palette.
Charlotte Tilbury | Look of Love Pretty Blushed Beauty
This blush doesn’t have an individual name, and judging by the website, it looks like they don’t sell it separately as a single pan, which is a massive shame!
This is the newest addition to my blush collection, but it has quickly become my all-time favourite. It beautifully flatters my pale skin but also looks incredible when I’ve got a bit of a tan. It has a slight, elegant sheen to it without containing any chunky glitter. The colour is a pale, peachy pink which is just beautiful.
The Cream Formula: For a Foolproof, Dewy Finish
If you are new to the world of blush, starting with a cream formula can feel a bit daunting—but this particular one completely changed the game for me.
Fenty Beauty | Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in Petal Poppin
This was the exact blush that started my love for the product entirely—and I know, I can’t believe I started with a cream formula either! Luckily, this is the absolute easiest formula to work with. It is very sheer but can be built up beautifully, which means I’m yet to go wrong with it.
It’s pretty foolproof, and Petal Poppin is the most stunning shade. It’s a medium pink that looks a lot more pigmented in the pan than it actually does when applied to the skin.
Swatch Time: Side-by-Side Comparison
Swatches from Left to Right: Fenty: Petal Poppin, Charlotte Tilbury: Look of Love, Jolie Beauty: Flushed, Jolie Beauty: Rendezvous and Milani Luminoso.
When I swatched them all together for this post, I had absolutely no idea the Charlotte Tilbury one and the Jolie Beauty (Flushed) one looked so similar against my skin! It’s always so interesting to see them side-by-side.
There we have it, that is the current state of my blush collection!
Let’s chat in the comments!
What’s your all-time favorite blush formula? Are you team cream or team powder? Let me know what I should look at next!
Thank you for reading!
I really want that Milani Baked Blush! It’s so pretty!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
It’s definitely a pretty one xx
oh my gosh, milani baked blush in luminoso is a classic!! love that shade & the price makes it even better. i’m a sucker for blush for some reason. i’ll have to try these others you’ve mentioned.
It really is! It’s such a bargain isn’t it?! Haha, I hope you love them xx
You have such a beautiful blush collection. This Milani one is so pretty!
Antonia || Sweet Passions
Thank you! It really is xx
I’ll admit, I’m not a blush wearer tbh but Rendezvous sure could sway me! This is a great collection, I’ve heard Fenty are really great formulas, will have to try a blush and see if it’s my thing.
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
Rendezvous is such a lovely shade, and as someone who has only just gotten into blush, it’s a nice place to start. I am so glad you think so. The Fenty formula is amazing xx
I love a good blush! KIKO baked blushes are my favourite
Me too! Oooh, I’ll have to check those ones out xx
I absolutely love your blusher picks. My favourite blusher right now is from Stila, it’s perfect for my skin while it’s hot and sunny
Rosie
Thank you! Oooh I’ll have to look at their blushes xx
It’s a shame that Charlotte Tilbury blush isn’t sold separately – it’s such a beautiful colour! x
It really is, it’s a lovely shade and formula x
You have a beautiful blusher collection. I have that Fenty Beauty blush shade and it’s a pretty colour.
http://shimmeringhighlights.blogspot.com/
I am so glad you think so, thank you so much! It’s so pretty isn’t it?! xx
I am obsessed with blush! Need to get my hands on a Fenty cheeks out!
Danielle’s Beauty Blog
Me too! I hope you love it, if you give it a try xx
Luminoso is such a beautiful color! I don’t know if it was my first blush, but it’s one that I’ve repurchased several times because it is so versatile.
Luminoso is definitely a classic, and it must be a good one if you’ve repurchased it! I haven’t even hit pan on a blush yet haha! xx
The Milani Luminoso looks very different to how it used to look, I used to have it a while back (had to get rid of it becuase it was so old) and it was a lot more golden peachy vibes, will have to repurchase it! I love the look of the fenty blusher, I am so here for the cream blusher recently so definitely need to give it a try! xx
Oooh I had no idea that they’d changed it! It’s good to know that you still like the look of it though, as sometimes when products are tweaked it makes them worse. Me too, I love a cream blush and this one is so good! I hope you love it if you give it a try xx
Fenty has such amazing stuff xx
They really do! Xx
Thanks and keep sharing great content.
Meredith – Hijab-style.com
Thank you for stopping by! That is so kind thank you xx
So many great items sweetie!
Danielle
I am so glad you think so! Xx
I adore Petal Poppin’ and Luminoso is a classic! x
Beautylymin
They’re both super pretty! xx
I love these tones they look so beautiful; 🙂
I am so glad that you like them xx
I’m not a huge blush person so my collection is way smaller than this but I love the look of the Fenty beauty cream blush! I think if I was to get into it, I would want to start with something sheer and buildable so that looks perfect! x
Erin
That is fair enough, it’s something I’m only just getting in to. The Fenty one is lovely, such a pretty colour. Thank you for reading xx
Absolutely love the blushes in your collection! I really want to try Milani blushes once as they always look so beautiful.
xoxo Simone | https://beautymone.com
Thank you so much! They definitely seem like a classic too xx
can’t believe you’ve only started wearing blush just now! Luminoso is such a classi,c but I’ve never been able to try it for myself. Must say Charlotte Tilbury’s blushes are of stunning quality so I can see why you love the one in that palette, the shade looks amazing!
Love, Charline | Charline Has a Blog
I know, I don’t know how I coped without it! It’s definitely one that’s always raved about. This one has definitely made me want to try her other ones. It’s a pretty one xx
While I’ve always liked blush, it wasn’t until I tried a cream blush from Too Faced that it started my overall love! I have better cream blushes that I love more, but I’m so glad that you fell in love with blush as well! Great post Hannah xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Oooh the Too Faced blushes look so good! The ones that ignited your love always have a special place though! I couldn’t do a look without it now! Thank you so much xx
I love blush the more pink the better but lately I’ve been using a lot of cream blush I feel that it last longer than a regular blush.
Michelle| https://brokebutflawless.com
I love a good pink blush too! Cream blush is really having it’s moment, it’s so good xx